PREP WATER POLO ROUNDUP : Newport Harbor Survives Long Beach Wilson’s Rally

Nathan Anderson and Brian McAllister scored four goals each to help Newport Harbor escape with a 13-10 water polo victory over Long Beach Wilson Tuesday at Newport Harbor High School.

The Sailors (1-0), ranked sixth in the preseason Southern Section Division I poll, took a 10-5 lead after three quarters. But they nearly squandered a six-goal advantage in the final four minutes.

After Brett McAllister scored on a breakaway to give Newport Harbor a 12-6 lead with 4 minutes 32 seconds remaining, sophomore Pat Cochran, who scored six goals, and Ben Blaber led a Wilson rally.

The Bruins, ranked third in the Division I poll, scored four goals in a 1:46 span to close to 12-10.

Blaber scored on a back-hander from two meters to cut the lead to 12-10 with 34 seconds remaining, but time ran out on Wilson’s rally and Brian McAllister scored his fourth goal at the buzzer.

“We came in the third seed and beat everyone during the summer,” Wilson Coach Ricardo Azevedo said. “So I think the kids were starting to believe their own press clippings.

“After we jumped to the 2-0 lead, we let up, and you can’t do that against a quality team like Newport.”

Newport Harbor led, 5-4, at halftime and took command in the third quarter, outscoring Wilson, 5-1, in the period. Anderson scored three goals in the quarter, and Brian McAllister had two.

Newport Harbor’s backup goalie, Travis Farnsworth, had four saves filling in for Jason Marsh, who sat out the match because of two broken fingers.