Newport Beach wins 14-under and 16-under Platinum Division girls championships at USA Water Polo National Junior Olympics
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IRVINE – Newport Beach made history in the 16-under Platinum Division final in impressive fashion Sunday at the USA Water Polo National Junior Olympics.
Cece Mesenbrink helped the Newport Beach Blue ‘A’ team return to the top of the 14-under Platinum Division in one of the most dramatic finals of the tournament at William Woollett Jr. Aquatic Center at Irvine High.
Newport Beach became the first club to capture both 14-under and 16-under girls championships in the same year since Santa Barbara 805 achieved the feat in 2016.
Gabby Alexson, an incoming junior at Newport Harbor High, earned most valuable player honors for Newport Beach, as five athletes in the lineup scored at least two goals in a 13-8 victory against the Santa Barbara 805 ‘A’ team in the 16-under final, securing the club’s first title in the age group since the tournament began in 1989.
Gabby Alexson of Newport Harbor High scored twice for Newport Beach to earn MVP in the 16-under Platinum Division final in a 13-8 win against Santa Barbara 805 ‘A’ at the USA Water Polo National Junior Olympics | Erik Boal photo
Mesenbrink converted a 5-meter penalty shot with 2:22 remaining to lift Newport Beach Blue ‘A’ to a 10-9 triumph against Patriot Navy from Irvine.
Mesenbrink, who had two goals and four assists to receive MVP recognition, helped Newport Beach Blue ‘A’ capture its second 14-under Platinum Division crown in three years, following a 9-7 setback in last year’s Junior Olympic final against Santa Barbara 805.
Zoey Johnson added three goals and Hope Doyle contributed two goals for Newport Beach Blue ‘A’ to complete an unbeaten seven-match run to win another championship.
Newport Beach fed off the energy of the 14-under title to overwhelm Santa Barbara 805 ‘A’ in the 16-under final.
Kennedy Fahey, Addison Ting, Emerson Mulvey and Alexson, all Newport Harbor standouts, scored in the first nine minutes before Makena Bygrave of Oaks Christian finally broke the drought for Santa Barbara 805 ‘A’ by producing a 6-on-5 goal with 4:53 left in the second quarter.
Bygrave had three first-half goals to help Santa Barbara 805 ‘A’ remain within striking distance at 6-3 at halftime.
But Newport Beach scored the first three goals of the third quarter, including a pair by Fahey, and Santa Barbara 805 ‘A’ never got closer than a five-goal deficit the rest of the way.
Madison Mack, Fahey and Ting all contributed three goals apiece, with Alexson and Mulvey each scoring twice for Newport Beach, which completed an unbeaten seven-match run to the championship, outsourcing opponents by a 105-39 margin.
Newport Beach captured its first 16-under Platinum Division crown in the history of the USA Water Polo National Junior Olympics with a 13-8 triumph against Santa Barbara 805 ‘A’ in Irvine | Erik Boal photo
Sutton Lohman recorded seven saves for Newport Beach and Reagan Mack of Dos Pueblos had five saves for Santa Barbara 805 ‘A’, which received three goals from incoming Sacred Heart Prep junior Kiernan Hogan.
Newport Beach advanced to Sunday’s 16-under final with an 18-5 semifinal victory against Lamorinda from the East Bay at Buena Park High, with Caroline Daniel contributing four goals, Alexson adding three goals and fellow Newport Harbor athletes Sadie Ricks, Lily Tomalas, Mulvey and Ting all scoring twice.
Santa Barbara 805 ‘A’ achieved a 9-7 semifinal triumph against San Diego Shores Black, with Hogan scoring four goals and Bygrave contributing three goals.
Avery Boone of Valhalla led San Diego Shores Black with three goals and Rylann Hakim from The Bishop’s School scored twice in the semifinal setback.
San Diego Shores Black rebounded with a 14-10 victory against Lamorinda in the third-place match in the 16-under Platinum Division.
Aviana Cavaiola from La Jolla High led San Diego Shores Black with four goals, with Fiona Salatka of The Bishop’s School, Francesca McNeil from Cathedral Catholic, Landon Wightlin of Del Norte and Margaux Bollyky Purcell from The Chapin School all scoring twice.
Emilia Haast of Carondelet led Lamorinda with three goals.
Newport Beach Blue ‘A’ achieved a 19-6 semifinal victory Sunday in the 14-under Platinum Division against Diablo Alliance at Portola High.
Alexa Hourigan had six goals, Mallory Collins added three goals, with Eva Dotsenko, Annabel Moala and Mesenbrink all scoring twice.
Patriot Navy produced a 19-7 semifinal triumph Sunday against South Coast Red ‘A’ at Saddleback College.
Kate Bambury and Danielle Ku each produced five goals for Patriot Navy, with Natalie Arata adding three goals and Lana Amakasu contributing two goals.
South Coast Red ‘A’ rebounded with an 11-9 win in the third-place match against Diablo Alliance, with Peyton Rosenthal contributing three goals, in addition Peyton Ashby and Hailey Cervantes both scoring twice.
Daphne Ertoz and Anika Rehn both had three goals for Diablo Alliance in the third-place contest.
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