For much of July last year, the ocean temperature wasn’t conducive to hosting many lifeguard competitions. But just in time for the annual August showdown that is the Long Beach Island Tournament, the water heated up a little.

The bigger question, though, was how heated the rivalry between the Harvey Cedars and Barnegat Light beach patrols would get during the summer’s main event, especially given the way the tournament had ended the previous year, with Cedars edging The Light by a point and a…