The match was far from ideal in the second half for the Sea Kings, ranked No. 5 in the CIF Southern Section Division I preseason coaches’ poll.
CdM started on fire and took a 7-3 lead into halftime. Unable to maintain the first half’s intensity, the Sea Kings allowed Long Beach Wilson (1-2) back in.
The Bruins cut the deficit to one goal twice in the third quarter, putting the pressure on the hosts.
“I guess we just came out a little complacent in the second half,” said Bergeson, the Newport-Mesa Dream Team Player of the Year last season. “It’s never good to do that.
“Everybody has downtime during a game.”
Entering the final quarter, CdM appeared headed for its first loss of the year.
With the momentum turning to Long Beach Wilson’s side, the Sea Kings held on to a 9-8 advantage. Chase Watson and Bergeson pushed the lead back to three goals after they each scored in the first two minutes of the fourth quarter.
Seeing Blake Terry early in the quarter receive his third ejection hurt CdM. The team was already without Will Havercroft. CdM Coach Barry O’Dea said Havercroft went to the emergency room at Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian after he “choked on a chicken bone at lunchtime.”
CdM was about to choke one away in the pool.
The two teams went back and forth. Michael Liao scored his third goal to give the Sea Kings a 12-9 lead, only to see the Bruins make it a one-goal game again after back-to-back goals.
Justin Papa’s third goal extended CdM’s lead to 13-11 with 2:32 to play. A fast Long Beach Wilson goal kept it close.
The defense stopped a Long Beach Wilson power-play opportunity with 72 seconds left. With the ball and a 30-second shot clock to work with, O’Dea advised his Sea Kings during a timeout.
