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The final numbers on the scoreboard Saturday night didn’t necessarily show it, but Corona del Mar’s boys water polo team left the S & R Sport tournament with some encouraging signs.

The second-ranked Sea Kings lost in the finals to reigning CIF Division 1 champion Harvard-Westlake of Studio City, 22-7, at the Woollett Aquatics Center in Irvine.

The positives for the Sea Kings (12-3) were strong play from centers Ben Brooks and Brendan Hack, a couple of impressive saves by goalie Nigel Bress and a competitive first half against the undefeated Wolverines (15-0). Corona del Mar trailed, 7-4, at halftime before the score turned lopsided.

“I think our boys had a fabulous weekend,” Corona del Mar coach Barry O’Dea said. “They (Harvard-Westlake) are super-good. … They’re solid at 2-meters. (Johnny) Hooper is a good player. I think their counterattack is out of this world and they’re aggressive.”

Harvard-Westlake outscored its four tournament opponents, 88-27, and that included a difficult draw. The Wolverines faced Long Beach Wilson, which upset Mater Dei earlier in the week, in the quarterfinals and won, 21-9.

So can anyone beat Harvard-Westlake?

“I don’t think anyone is ever untouchable,” O’Dea said. “We’ll see what happens come November.”

Harvard-Westlake plays host to Mater Dei on Tuesday at 5 p.m. in a pairing of last season’s Division 1 finalists. So could the Wolverines, who beat Mater Dei, 10-8, in mid-September without Hooper, take the Monarchs lightly considering the teams’ recent results against Long Beach Wilson.

“We’re not going to take them lightly at all,” Hooper said. “We’ve played them already. They’ve kept it close with us all the time. It was probably a freak accident that they lost to Long Beach Wilson.”

Irvine (14-4) emerged at the S & R tournament as an under-the-radar team to watch. The Vaqueros beat former county-ranked Los Alamitos, 10-9, in the 13th-place game behind center Travis Gellerman (6-4, 225) and goalie Preston Fox, a former defender.

Gellerman scored six goals, including five at center, and Fox made 16 saves and made a key steal with 1:09 left in the fourth.

It was Irvine’s first victory against Los Alamitos under 10th-year coach Ray Wong.

The Vaqueros take on Pacific Coast League rival Woodbridge on Tuesday at Woollett. The teams have split two games.

“We just got to get used to the physicality of everybody,” Wong said. “That’s our only downfall.”

– DAN ALBANO

GIRLS GOLF

Fountain Valley senior Lilia Vu tied for third place Sunday in the PING Invitational in Stillwater, Okla.

Vu, who entered the final round with a share of the lead, fired a 3-over-par 75 at Karsten Creek on the final day of the tournament.

In the boys division, Woodbridge junior Hide Yoshihara followed his 80 in the first round with a 69 on Sunday to finish ninth. Yoshihara birdied four of his first five holes on the front nine and went out with a 3-under 33. …

Corona del Mar sophomore Alyaa Abdulghany carded a 1-over-par 72 on Sunday at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club to finish with a 1-over 143. She placed fourth in the 36-hole AJGA tournament in North Plains, Oregon. Valencia sophomore Brittany Park finished two strokes behind Abdulghany. …

Ashley Fernandez shot a career-best even-par 37 on the front nine at Alta Vista Country Club on Thursday to help the No. 5 Tigers clinch their fourth Empire League championship, and their first since 2000, with a victory over Cypress, 218-255.

– DAMIAN DOTTORE

GIRLS VOLLEYBALL

The Newport Harbor girls volleyball team returned to Sunset League play last week after a successful trip to Chicago for the Mother McAuley Asics Challenge.

The Sailors finished seventh in Chicago, but gained something, according to their coach, that will help them down the stretch this season.

“I think we’re playing with a little bit more rhythm,” Coach Dan Glenn said. “In Chicagao, you see a bunch of different styles of play, and so we’re figuring out who we are. Our libero (Sammie Yeager) keeps getting better and better. … A trip like that is good to travel and to be together as a team.” …

Trinity League rivals Mater Dei and Santa Margarita met Saturday in the finals of the California Challenge at Torrey Pines. The Monarchs swept the Eagles, 25-19, 25-22. Alyse Ford was selected tournament MVP. The teams will meet again, Oct. 22 at Mater Dei.

Here is a look at some of this week’s top matches:

Sage Hill at St. Margaret’s, Tuesday: The Academy League rivals meet for the second time this season. The Lightning swept the Tartans in the first meeting last month.

Edison at Los Alamitos, Wednesday: Every match is critical in the Sunset League. This is the only match of the week for the Griffinfs. The Chargers will be coming off of a match against Newport Harbor earlier in the week.

Corona del Mar at Northwood, Thursday: The teams began the week tied for first place in the Pacific Coast League. The winner jumps into the driver’s seat for the league title.

– DAMIAN CALHOUN

GIRLS TENNIS

While the University girls tennis team has sat comfortably atop the county’s top 10 for the entire season, the Trojans have been ranked second in the CIF-SS Division 1 poll behind Peninsula of Palos Verdes.

It was the Panthers who defeated University, 14-4, in the CIF finals a year ago.

On Wednesday, the top two teams in Division 1 will face off at University High.

Peninsula is 11-0 and its closest match of the year was a 12-6 victory over Beverly Hills High in the season opener. The Panthers defeatged No. 3 Corona del Mar, 15-3, on Sept. 23.

University is 10-0.

The winner of Wednesday’s showdown will be the clearcut favorite to win the CIF championship this season.

– KENNY CONNOLLY

CROSS COUNTRY

The Asics Clovis Invitational on Saturday solidified Canyon’s place among the top boys cross country programs in the county.

Wesley Walsh (15:23.32), Chance Lamberth (15:26), and Dylan Scarsone (15:46) ended up with three of the top four Orange County times at the meet and landed the Comanches a fourth-place finish in the team results.

Tesoro’s Sander Kushen (15:23.75) matched Walsh to finish ninth at the meet. …

Behind Mason Coppi’s 15:17 mark, Dana Hills dominated the boys portion of the South Coast League Preview meet Wednesday. The Dolphins had the top four finishers to win the team competition by two minutes over second-place El Toro.

Capistrano Valley was equally impressive in winning the girls side of the South Coast League meet. Cougars junior Ashley Licata had the fastest time, posting a 17:27 to help her team fend off No. 2 Trabuco Hills, No. 4 Dana Hills, and No. 5 San Clemente.

– ANDREW TURNER, Contributing writer