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IRVINE — Newport Harbor’s boys water polo team again swam into the tempest seas of a CIF-SS Open Division final on Saturday and encountered an array of barriers, from major foul trouble to an aggressive, late surge by JSerra.

The Sailors used their championship experience and impressive depth to extend the greatest water polo legacy in Orange County.

Reserve defender Jack Wright blocked a shot against a rare 7-on-6 attack with 20 seconds left in the fourth period to help second-seeded Newport Harbor defend its Open Division title with a 10-9 victory against No. 1 seed JSerra in front of an estimated 3,000 at the Woollett Aquatics Center.

The Lions (27-3) utilized a second-year rule change by swimming goalie Jack Helfer into the front court offense as a seventh attacking player against the Sailors’ six field defenders, but Wright knocked down a perimeter shot with his left arm while defending in front of the net.

Newport Harbor (28-2) called a timeout after senior Gavin Netherton, another reserve, grabbed the rebound. The Sailors then ran out the clock and wildly celebrated their 14th CIF-SS title, the most major division championships in section history.

“It’s a gauntlet,” Newport Harbor coach Ross Sinclair of the second-year Open Division. “(Our) guys are amazing. (They’re) relentless, resilient. … Next man up mentality has been our theme all season.”

Newport Harbor navigated a frantic final four minutes without center Peter Castillo, who fouled out on a play that gave the Lions a penalty shot. But the Sailors protected a 9-7 lead as senior goalie Cooper Mathisrud blocked a penalty shot by JSerra attacker Ryder Dodd.

Mathisrud unleashed a scream after his block and the Sailors used the momentum to push their lead to 10-7 about 30 seconds later. Netherton threaded a cross pass to left-handed Nick Kennedy, a reserve who scored the eventual winning goal with 3:34 left.

But that wasn’t the end of the drama. JSerra’s Will Schneider and Bode Brinkema scored on counterattacks in the span of about 12 seconds to trim Newport Habor’s lead to 10-9 with 1:50 left.

The Sailors composed themselves and beat the Lions for the second time in three meetings this season.

“Last year’s experience definitely bled over into this (win),” said Sinclair, who also received a goal off the bench from Trent Smith in the fourth. “Yeah, there are new names, new faces, but the same old Newport Harbor Sailors.”

Senior Ben Liechty scored three goals to lead seven Newport Harbor players in scoring. Finn LeSieur added five assists.

Mathisrud finished with nine saves and helped the Sailors hold JSerra to a 4-for-8 effort on the man-advantage.

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Dodd scored three goals while Schneider drew seven exclusions and three penalty shots for the Lions, who reached their first Open final.

“You always hope that you can skip a step, you hope you can arrive a year early,” JSerra coach Brett Ormsby said, “but most often, you kind of have to go through this (hurt). You have to feel this feeling.”