Saturday night’s CIF Division 1 girls water polo final will pit Back Back rivals Newport Harbor and Corona del Mar against each other for the fifth time this season.

I wonder how many rivals in any high school sport in Orange County can say they have played five times in a single season, with the last one for a CIF championship? My guess, not many.

Newport and CdM truly have a unique relationship in girls water polo in that they play their annual Battle of the Bay nonleague game — a must-see match each season — and then enter the same high-powered tournaments.

Here’s a recap of the previous four matches this season – which the teams split (pictured above: NH’s Cleo Harrington, far left, and CdM’s Ally McCormick):

Corona del Mar 8, Newport 6 

Nonleague at CdM, Dec. 21

The Sea Queens posted the victory despite not having Greek transfers Stephania and Ioanna

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