The Newport Harbor High boys’ water polo team clinched their third major tournament victory of the season over the weekend, triumphing 16-7 against JSerra in the championship match of the North vs. South Challenge on Saturday at Sacred Heart Prep in Atherton.
This win capped a historic undefeated regular season for the Sailors, who finished with a perfect 26-0 record. Newport Harbor, after trailing 4-3 in the first half, mounted an impressive comeback, scoring 11 unanswered goals to secure the win. It was their second victory over JSerra this season, and the first time in program history they have claimed the North vs. South Challenge title, having finished runner-up to JSerra the previous two years.
Lucca Van Der Woude led the Sailors with three goals in the final, while teammates Geoff Slutzky and Connor Ohl each added two goals. Senior goalkeeper Luke Harris was stellar in the net, making seven key saves to help secure the victory.
Earlier in the tournament, Newport Harbor beat Oaks Christian 11-7 in the semifinals, led by a five-goal performance from Kai Kaneko.
This season, the Sailors also secured the South Coast Tournament and Elite Eight tournament titles, adding to their list of accolades as they head into the postseason.
With no remaining regular-season matches, Newport Harbor will now await the CIF Southern Section playoff brackets, which will be released on Saturday. The Sailors are expected to earn the top seed in the Open Division.
Corona del Mar Finishes Runner-Up at Memorial Cup
The Corona del Mar High boys’ water polo team also had an impressive weekend, finishing second at the Memorial Cup tournament hosted by Bellarmine Prep in San Jose. The Sea Kings narrowly lost 15-14 in a thrilling final match against The Bishop’s School of La Jolla.
Corona del Mar finishes their regular season with a strong 23-5 record and will also look ahead to the upcoming CIF playoffs.