Boys’ Water Polo Preview: CdM vs. Harvard-Westlake

CIF Southern Section Division 1

Semifinal

No. 1 Harvard-Westlake (26-0) vs. No. 4 Corona del Mar (24-5)

When/where: Wednesday, 7 p.m. at Irvine’s Woollett Aquatics Center

Key Wolverines: Sr. Johnny Hooper; Jr. Ben Hallock; Sr. GK Anthony Ridgley; Sr. Morio Saito.

Key Sea Kings: Sr. Jack Trush (39 goals, 16 assists, 17 steals); Sr. Ashton Jajonie (team-best 68 goals, 32 assists, team-best 53 steals); Sr. GK Nigel Bress (250 saves, team-best 46 assists); Sr. Garrett Spruth (49 goals, 20 assists, 28 steals).

Breakdown: Harvard-Westlake is the defending Division 1 champion and a favorite to repeat and earn an undefeated season … The Wolverines are led by the speedy Hooper, widely considered one of the best, if not the best, college recruits in the state. Hallock is also a top center … Hooper scored seven goals the only other time these teams met this season, when Harvard-Westlake won, 22-7, in the S&R Sport Tournament title match Oct. 11, also at Woollett … The Wolverines are averaging 17.4 goals per game this season and have scored 20 or more goals on 13 separate occasions … Overall, Harvard-Westlake, led by fourth-year Coach Brian Flacks, has won 35 straight matches since a loss to Mater Dei in Oct. 2013 … Corona del Mar is making its second Division 1 semifinal appearance in three seasons … The Sea Kings, led by 10th year Coach Barry O’Dea, have won an Orange County-record 13 CIF boys’ water polo titles, most recently winning the Division 2 crown in 2010 … Trush, a co-captain with Jajonie, has played three games since returning from a broken ankle … He scored a big goal late in CdM’s 10-9 quarterfinal win over Long Beach Wilson … The winner of this second semifinal will play the winner of the 5 p.m. semifinal between Mater Dei and Huntington Beach in the championship match on Saturday … Wednesday’s semifinals will be streamed live at GoLivePolo.com with play-by-play from Greg Mescall.

— Matt Szabo