The No. 2-ranked Sea Kings (24-1) celebrated at Irvine High after beating the team handing CdM its only loss this season. One player broke out her MP3 player and blasted a Kelly Clarkson song.
Near the pool they sang as if they were at a karaoke bar. Chaney looked like the guy in the corner, just listening and never taking part in the fun.
Chaney has a reason not to get excited, even though he called the three-day, 32-team tournament the toughest this season.
“I’m not going to smile until the season’s over,” Chaney said. “I’ll smile when we’re done with the season.
“The ultimate prize, the ultimate goal … still is three weeks away.”
The objective for Chaney is to guide CdM to its first CIF Southern Section Division I championship.
Finishing second at this tournament doesn’t hurt as much as doing so in a section final.
The Sea Kings remember last season all too well. They almost ran into Back Bay rival Newport Harbor, the team which ruined their section championship hopes last season.
Newport Harbor also beat CdM in last season’s tournament championship. But the No. 4 Sailors (19-6) fell short of reaching the title match, losing to Dos Pueblos, 9-7, in a semifinal in the morning.
Newport Harbor bounced back and placed third after defeating No. 4 Los Alamitos, 10-4.
CdM advanced to the championship with a 5-4 semifinal victory against the Griffins. The Sea Kings rallied from a 3-0 deficit at halftime.
Elise Molnar scored the game-winner on a long-range shot with 25 seconds left.
The morning match took a lot of out of the Sea Kings. Chaney felt Dos Pueblos’ battle against Newport Harbor would affect the Chargers as well.
Chaney was right. To make matters worse, both teams fighting for the Division I playoffs’ top seed came into the afternoon title match already hurting.
