NEWPORT BEACH – The mega-star players are gone for now. The breathtaking, power moves at center have been replaced by chemistry, depth and creativity. But not everything has changed with Mater Dei’s boys water polo team.
The Monarchs still rule the South Coast Tournament.
Mater Dei captured the 32-team tournament Saturday for the fifth consecutive season by defeating Loyola of Los Angeles, 15-10, in the finals at Newport Harbor.
The Monarchs (10-1) might not have players the caliber of Bret Bonanni, the late Jon Walters or McQuin Baron, but the county’s top-ranked squad showed how well it can play as a team.
Top-seeded Mater Dei converted 8 of 10 chances with the extra attacker and placed seven players in the scoring column against No. 2 seed Loyola (9-2).
Matt Payne and Luke Wyatt each scored three goals while Sean Duncan, Nick Lavayen, Jackson Seybold and Nick Silvers added two apiece.
“If you’re talking differences from past teams, I think this team is playing cohesive,” Mater Dei coach Chris Segesman said. “Their togetherness is a lot better than we have had in the past. We’re well-balanced and we can go deep in the bench.”
Mater Dei’s chemistry surfaced in the second period as it made a 5-0 run to take a 9-2 lead with 51 seconds left in the first half. The run started with Seybold redirecting a pass from Silvers at the point of the perimeter for a man-advantage strike.
Duncan capped the surge with another power-play strike, taking a short pass from Payne at the left-hander’s wing for a goal in front of the near post.
Yes, the Monarchs’ signature was their cohesion.
“We had the super stars class,” Silvers said. “I’d say it’s a different style (now). It’s more of a style that is spread out to all the guys. … We all have to work together to reach our goals.”
Loyola chased Mater Dei in the second half, trimming the Monarchs’ lead to 13-10 with just over three minutes left in the fourth. But Mater Dei answered with another power-play connection as Payne scored on a cross-pass from Wyatt, a left-hander.
“We’ve been working on (the power-play) in practice and we’re starting to see new options,” Silvers said.
Loyola went 2 for 4 with the extra attacker.
The Cubs surged in the second half with its 2-meter attack. Marko Vavic scored two of his match-high four goals in the third. And Loyola added three breakaway goals in the fourth. But Mater Dei goalie Jonathan Van De Velde was steady with 11 saves and the Monarchs added seven field blocks.
Segesman said the Monarchs were motivated to continue their tradition at the South Coast.
“It’s something special for us,” he said. “These kids, they knew (the streak) going in here, so they had something to prove and they did a good responding.”
In the third-place match:
No. 10 Orange Lutheran 6, The Bishop’s of La Jolla 5: Freshman Ash Molthen scored on a penalty shot drawn by Jake Markle in the fourth as the third-year Lancers (9-3) impressed in their first appearance in the tournament.
“Definitely a surprise,” Molthen said. “I thought it would take (us) a while … (but) it’s all falling in place perfectly.” Freshman goalie Matthew Tran made six saves in place of Jake Simmons, who served a brutality suspension from a 12-7 loss to Loyola in the semifinals.
In the fifth-place match:
No. 4 Corona del Mar 12, No. 3 Huntington Beach 9: Jack Trush and Ashton Jajonie each scored three goals for the Sea Kings, who earlier in the day edged Newport Harbor, 9-8, on a goal by Garrett Spruth in sudden-death overtime.
In the seventh-place match:
Dana Hills 14, Newport Harbor 12: Marko Asic had six goals and four assists and Bennett Williams added four goals to lead the Dolphins. Goalie Riley Zachary added 17 saves for Dana Hills.
