Hype follows CdM

CORONA DEL MAR — It was a routine counterattack play for the Corona del Mar High girls water polo team early in the second half. Senior goalie Kate Baldoni stopped a shot and threw a pass ahead of senior Kate Berry, who scored on a breakaway. The scoring play seemed so ho-hum, as if it was a practice session. The goal drew minimal cheers. Corona del Mar’s 7-1 win against visiting Long Beach Wilson was mostly quiet. But the Sea Kings are planning to make plenty of noise this season.

They are off to a 3-0 start. Ranked No. 2 in the CIF Southern Section Division I preseason coaches’ poll, they appear determined to win their first Division I title after coming so close last year.

But Coach Aaron Chaney isn’t concerned with all the hoopla about his team, which includes highly touted players going on to big-time NCAA Division I programs. He wants his players to focus on each game.

Against Wilson, and in their home opener, the Sea Kings didn’t leave Chaney totally thrilled. He certainly wasn’t content.

“We had a lot of opportunities that we didn’t capitalize on,” said Chaney, who’s in his eighth year. “I thought they responded real well [last week at Dos Pueblos]. They came out to play. Sometimes the first game of the season people are a little tentative. I actually saw that today. Maybe it had to do with playing in front of their home crowd. But they weren’t tentative at all last week. If I was expecting any tentativeness I would have expected it last week.”

Corona del Mar opened the season with an impressive 10-8 win over Dos Pueblos of Goleta, which won the CIF Division II title last year and was ranked No. 3 in Division I to start this season.

Chaney liked the shots CdM put up against Dos Pueblos goalie Sami Hill. The win also made the Sea Kings believe, already, that this could be their year.

“A lot is expected of us because we have so many great players and because we’re such a great team,” said senior Victoria Kennedy, the Stanford-bound senior who scored four goals against Dos Pueblos and two against Wilson. “There is going to be a lot of pressure. But at the same time we are having a lot of fun playing together.”

Baldoni, regarded by many as the best goalie in CIF Division I, is also headed to Stanford. She had seven saves against the Bruins (0-2). Senior Heather Van Hiel, who scored one goal and had three steals, will play for UCLA. Senior Erica Wheeler signed her national letter of intent to play for Michigan.

“We all hold ourselves to a high standard,” Van Hiel said. “Our coach holds us to a high standard. It’s pretty much the tradition of the program and we’re just going to keep it going.”

Nonleague

Corona del Mar 7, Wilson 1

SCORE BY QUARTERS

W – Baker 1. Saves – Ringel 11.

CdM – Kennedy 2, Kent 2, Berry 1, Van Hiel 1, Molnar 1. Saves – Baldoni 7.

STEVE VIRGEN may be reached at (714) 966-4616 or by e-mail at steve.virgen@latimes.com.