THE PREPS : Southern Section Water Polo : Oeding Scores 7, Then Sets Up Sea King Victory

Chris Oeding scored seven goals in Corona del Mar High School’s 10-8 victory over Newport Harbor in the Southern Section 4-A water polo final Saturday at Belmont Plaza Pool in Long Beach.

But Oeding’s most significant contribution may have been a short pass.

Corona del Mar was leading, 9-8, with 1 minute 20 seconds to play, but the Sea Kings had not scored in more than three minutes, and Newport Harbor had just scored to pull within one.

With 13 seconds left on the shot clock, and momentum seemingly shifting to Newport Harbor, Oeding lofted a pass to teammate Dave Cesario, who shoveled the ball in the goal for a 10-8 lead and the Sea Kings’ second 4-A championship in three years.

Oeding, a junior, scored Corona del Mar’s first four goals. The fourth, a backhand shot in front of the goal, tied the score, 4-4, with 1:08 left in the half.

Corona del Mar’s Derek Dundas scored with 5:08 left in the third quarter, perfectly lofting a shot from eight meters to put the Sea Kings ahead for the first time, 5-4.

Newport Harbor’s Todd St. Sure skipped a shot past goalie Jim Wagner, who had 10 saves, to tie the score at 5-5.

Oeding and Chip Blankenhorn each scored to put the Sea Kings (27-4) ahead, 7-5. St. Sure’s second goal of the quarter, with five seconds remaining, pulled Newport Harbor (27-5) within one.

Oeding scored two goals in the first minute of the fourth quarter. The first was a penalty shot, the second came as his head emerged from underwater with seemingly no time to locate the goal.

Those gave Corona del Mar a 9-7 lead with about five minutes to play in the match. Newport Harbor scored with 1:20 to play on St. Sure’s third goal of the match. That made the score 9-8.