Corona del Mar and Newport Harbor continue their respective roads in the high school girls’ water polo playoffs today.
They will try to make sure their paths end with a second straight Back Bay CIF Southern Section Division I championship meeting on Saturday.
Out of the two locals in the semifinals at Irvine High tonight, the No. 3-seeded Sailors (23-6) play No. 2 Dos Pueblos (26-3) at 5, followed by the No. 1 Sea Kings (28-1) against Foothill (18-10) at 7.
Newport Harbor, the defending champion, appears to have the tougher of the two semifinals.
The Sailors lost to Dos Pueblos, 9-7, in the semifinals of the Irvine Southern California Championships on Feb. 7, when the Chargers were without goalie Sami Hill (thumb injury).
The Sailors’ lone win against the Chargers, 9-2, in the semifinals of the Holiday Cup came on Dec. 31, when Dos Pueblos was without sophomore star Kiley Neushul (hand injury).
Both Neushul and Hill are expected to play today.
The Sea Kings have beaten Foothill twice this season, 8-3 in the semifinals of the Holiday Cup and 9-1 in a nonleague home match on Jan. 10.
Last year, CdM beat Foothill, 7-6, in the semifinals, scoring the game-winner with 11 seconds left on a trick play.
— David Carrillo Peñaloza
