BOYS' WATER POLO: LA CANADA WINS, HEADS TOWARD FINAL DESTINATION DEFEAT MIRA COSTA TO REACH DIV. III CHAMPIONSHIP LA CANADA 12, MIRA COSTA 7.

Byline: Ramona Shelburne Staff Writer

PASADENA - The La Canada boys' water polo team didn't just clear the semifinal hump that has been slightly too high the past three seasons, it vaulted over it.

The Spartans beat Mira Costa of Manhattan Beach 12-7 Friday afternoon at Pasadena City College in the semifinals of the Southern Section Div. III playoffs.

La Canada will play two-time defending section champion Montebello in the championship game Monday night at 6 p.m. at Belmont Plaza. It will be La Canada's first championship-game appearance since 1999, when it won the title.

``We knew anything could happen today if we didn't play our best because we'd lost in the semifinals each of the last three years,'' junior Devon Borisoff said. ``We really didn't want to go out in the semis again.''

Borisoff and senior Doug McNeese made sure that didn't happen. Each scored a match-high four goals to pace the Spartans.

The match was close through the first two periods, with La Canada leading 5-4 at halftime. The Spartans took control in the third, outscoring Mira Costa 6-2 to take an 11-6 lead into the final period.

``After the third quarter, when we scored all those goals, I started to think we were going to win,'' Borisoff said.

Montebello is a familiar opponent for the Spartans. Montebello beat La Canada last year in the semifinals on its way to the title. The two played again in the season opener this year, with La Canada winning 10-4.

``We beat them before, but there's a fine line between being cocky and being confident, and we need to walk that this week,'' McNeese said. ``But if we play they way we can, there's no team in this division we should lose to.''

Ramona Shelburne, [phone]

ramona.shelburne(at)dailynews.com

CAPTION(S):

photo, box

Photo:

Members of the La Canada High School boys' water polo team celebrate their victory over Mira Costa in the CIF Southern Section Division III semifinals Friday.

Hans Gutknecht/Staff Photographer

Box:

WATER POLO