Los Alamitos’ girls water polo team shook up the Division1 playoff picture by upsetting Newport Harbor on Wednesday for the Sunset League title.
The Griffins hope the rattling continues in the upcoming CIF-SS playoffs.
“The first thing Ella Weber said when we came out of the water (Wednesday was) … ‘Nice job, but this isn’t our ultimate goal,’” Los Alamitos coach Dave Carlson said. “This is just one step.”
Los Alamitos (19-8, 5-0) certainly took a big stride with a 6-5 victory against the Sailors, who entered the week ranked fourth in Division1.
The Griffins could soar from seventh in the rankings to a No.4 or No.5 seed when the pairings are released Sunday at 9 a.m.
The fourth and fifth seeds are essentially the same and often clash in the quarterfinals. For Los Alamitos, a quarterfinal foe could be emerging contender San Marcos of Santa Barbara from the Channel League.
San Marcos beat Santa Barbara, 12-11, on Thursday to earn a share of the league title and won a coin flip with Santa Barbara for the league’s No.1 playoff seed.
Los Alamitos has lost in the quarterfinals the past three seasons.
“We’re going to go into CIF with a good seed,” Los Alamitos senior captain Becca Corb said. “The end is close, but I’m excited.”
WOLVERINES ON RISE
Sea View League champion Aliso Niguel (20-6, 7-1) and runner-up Mission Viejo (14-12, 6-2) could be intriguing teams in Division4, which also includes defending champion Troy (20-9, 10-0).
The Wolverines have won seven consecutive games, the first league title in aquatics in school history and feature a strong goalie in Anastazia Virgin (286saves). They could be seeded third in the division.
“They’re good,” Mission Viejo coach Jeff Rach said of Aliso Niguel. “They run a totally different type of defense than anyone is used to — a gap — and they have really quick girls and they’ve got a great goalie.”
Mission Viejo features hard-shooting senior attacker Allie Moore and talented freshmen and sophomores.
NOTES
Foothill interim coach Jim Brumm said Wednesday that center Cana Manzella (groin) should be OK for the playoffs. …
In Division 6, Savanna and Santa Ana Valley shared the Orange League title but the Rebels (20-8, 5-1) won the coin flip for the league’s top seed for the playoff draw. …
Also in Division 6, senior Raquel Licea scored with 1:02 left in overtime Tuesday to help lift Garden Grove to a 9-8 victory against Rancho Alamitos and a second consecutive Garden Grove League title. The Argonauts (4-0 in league) have claimed 11league titles in 13 seasons under Coach Eric Henninger. Los Amigos finished second in league, followed by Rancho Alamitos. …
In Wednesday’s playoff for fourth place in the Century League, El Dorado beat El Modena, 10-7, in overtime, and then edged Esperanza, 8-7, in sudden-death overtime to claim the league’s final automatic playoff berth in Division1.
Contact the writer: dalbano@ocregister.com
