IRVINE – Never a doubt.
Segerstrom’s girls water polo team faced a daunting challenge in the CIF-SS Division 4 final Saturday but believed it would still rise to hoist the golden plaque.
The Jaguars were right.
Marlenne Ortega hustled and scored the only goal of overtime to help second-seeded Segerstrom rally from a five-goal deficit to stun top-seeded Long Beach Poly 9-8 in a dramatic match at Woollett Aquatics Center.
“We had no doubts,” said Segerstrom senior goalie Jacqueline Lopez, who made 10 saves to help the Jaguars claim their second section title.
“We knew what we could go through and we just pulled together and just said, ‘We’re going to do it. We’re not going to lose. This is our year.’ ”
Ortega broke an 8-8 tie by scoring her lone goal on a hustle play in front of the Long Beach Poly net with 2:37 left in the first three-minute overtime.
The junior raced to grab the ball near the end-line after the Jackrabbits (21-11) blocked a shot at center. She quickly shot on an open net.
But Segerstrom (28-2) and first-year Coach Michael Varela needed several contributions to rally past a Long Beach Poly team that defeated Division 3 champion Long Beach Wilson for the first time and won its first Moore League title.
Segerstrom senior Mia Favela scored with on a lob shot with four seconds left in regulation to force overtime.
Long Beach Poly led, 5-0, with less than three minutes in the opening half behind center Sydney Brightenburg. The senior scored three times against single coverage en route to a game-high four goals.
But Segerstrom tied the score, 6-6, in a perimeter strike by Faith Cuevas with 2:28 left in the third and took its first lead at 7-6 on a post-up strike by Destiny Hernandez with 10 seconds left in the frame.
Long Beach Poly kept the pressure on by scoring the first two goals of the fourth, including a lob by Amanda Horton with 1:09 left for an 8-7 lead.
But Segerstrom, which worked to improve its team chemistry, didn’t stop fighting for the title.
“In the past, we’ve been really divided,” Favela said. “But this year, we became more like a family. … We just kept working on communication, patience and just learning to deal with our personal issues in the pool – letting our emotions not interfere with our game.”