Three top-seeded boys water polo teams from Orange County navigated Saturday into the CIF-SS semifinals, but not all their trips were calm.
Laguna Beach (Division 2), Northwood (Division 4) and Katella (Division 7) each won quarterfinals, but the Breakers’ match against Hoover was stopped early.
Laguna Beach collected a 13-11 victory against Hoover at Burbank but the game was halted with about 26 seconds remaining in the fourth period because of overly aggressive play by both teams, Hoover coach Kevin Witt said.
“It’s unfortunate,” Witt said.
Laguna Beach assistant Ethan Damato declined to comment late Saturday night about the end of the game.
Related: Albano’s playoff predictions
Laguna Beach (20-9) plays Murrieta Valley in the semifinals Wednesday. Also in Division 2, Santa Margarita beat Palos Verdes, 15-9, and plays Ventura in the semifinals.
Goalie Noah Hodge racked up 13 saves, four assists and skipped in a shot for a goal to lead help lead the Eagles. Jacob Wright paced the offense with five goals.
Katella’s Andres Centeno scored on a cross-pass from Gio Marin with about 1:15 left in the fourth to lift the Knights past La Mirada, 6-5, at Splash La Mirada. Centeno also scored a power-play goal off an assist by Juan Gonzalez to tie the score, 5-5, in the fourth.
Katella (16-2) plays Shadow Hills in the semifinals Wednesday.
Northwood’s Joe Shaw scored four goals and Leon Shi made 11 saves to lead the host Timberwolves (20-12) past La Quinta of La Quinta, 10-6, snapping the Blackhawks’ 22-match winning streak.
Northwood plays Yucaipa in the semifinals.
In Division 5:
San Juan Hills 10, Murrieta Mesa 9: Freshnman Max Miller scored with 2:14 left in the fourth to lift the visiting Stallions past the No. 4 seed and into their first semifinal. Miller finished with six goals.
San Juan Hills (17-12) plays Corona next.
In Division 3:
Aliso Niguel 9, Ayala 7: Trent Kalinak, Colin Knight, Brendan Nugent and Nick Ure each scored twice for the Wolverines (20-7), who will play Redlands East Valley in their first semifinal.
Redlands East Valley 12, Troy 11 (OT-SD): Nick VanSteenhuyse and Andrew Kim each scored four goals for the visiting Warriors, who fell in the first period of sudden-death overtime.
In Division 6:
Roosevelt 5, Ocean View 4: Joseph Zapata Clark scored the winner with about 1:20 left in the fourth to rally the visiting Mustangs past the No. 2 seeded Seahawks. Ocean View led, 3-2, going into the fourth. Daniel Isogawa scored three goals for the Seahawks.
Contact the writer: dalbano@scng.com
