SD Prep Sports

SD Prep Sports: Water Polo

Mavericks get tough, double win total

La Costa Canyon out-muscles Hilltop for 6-4 victory

By Phillip Brents

CHULA VISTA, Sept. 29, 2003 -- The La Costa Canyon Mavericks recorded a school-record seven victories last season. Perhaps not surprisingly, the Mavs are fielding a school-record team in terms of number of bodies this season.

Head coach Russ Schutz is hoping the latter translates to the former before the 2003 season is finished.

At right: Hilltop's Kyle Kovar defends LCC's Graham Bloom.

"After winning a few games, word is getting out," said Schutz, whose team is buttressed by 29 players this season. "We've got a good crop of freshmen and sophomores. Hopefully, we'll have a bright future. I think we do."

Unfortunately, injuries to key players have helped keep LCC contained throughout much of the early season.

Monday's gritty 6-4 non-league victory against Hilltop at the Loma Verde pool was just the second in 10 games for the Mavs.

"We graduated some seniors last year. Our goal is to improve our record. We'd like to get more than seven wins. We want to keep improving and increase participation. It's still a relatively new sport at our school," Schutz said.

This is the fourth season that LCC has fielded a boys water polo program. Practices are 7 to 9 p.m. at Palomar College. Home games are split between Palomar College and Carlsbad High School.

Seniors Jeff Lamb and Sean Bruce are the team's only four-player players. Lamb -- the team's scoring leader last season -- is still recovering from offseason knee surgery that has severely limited his time in the pool. He has missed only four games this season but in the games in which he has played, he has usually only played one quarter. He did not enter Monday's game until a couple minutes had elapsed in the final period. He notched the lone goal of the period to provide the insurance goal in LCC's victory.

Seniors Ryan Perez and Graham Bloom both registered two goals apiece against Hilltop, with Perez scoring LCC's opening two goals of the contest. Bloom scored what proved to be the game-winning goal with 35 seconds left in the third period on a man-advantage situation. Bruce (pictured at left) had given the Mavs a 4-3 lead earlier in the quarter.

The game was tied 1-1 after one period and 3-3 at halftime.

Hilltop had previously defeated LCC by an 8-5 score in the Poway Invitational tournament.

Joining Lamb, Bruce, Bloom and Perez as varsity starters this season are senior goalie Noah Saltman, sophomore Vince Rastello and freshman sensation Derek Domene.

Lamb and Saltman both earned All-Avocado League honorable mention recognition last season.

Lamb had eight goals in the Mavs' only previous win on the season -- 16-6 against Mt. Miguel as part of the Poway Invitational. Bloom had two goals in a 9-4 setback to Army-Navy while Matt Beltran, Andrew Minners and Bloom each notched one goal in a 6-3 loss to Westview. In the game against Mt. Miguel, Saltman made 13 saves through three periods of play while scoring three times playing in the field in the final quarter.

At right: LCC's Graham Bloom readies a shot at the Hilltop cage.

Meanwhile, the loss to LCC continued a "Jekyll and Hyde" season for the Lancers, who saw their record drop to 3-6.

While the defensive play was strong against the Mavs, the offense was lacking in critical stages -- particularly in the second half when Hilltop could muster only one goal. Saltman was not credited with a save in the final period.

Senior Nick Davidson led the Lancers with two goals. Greg Felix and Corey Fix each scored one goal. Hilltop twice held leads at 1-0 and 2-1 and twice rallied to tie the score at 3-3 and 4-4 in the game.

JV action

Hilltop improved to 5-0 on the season by defeating LCC 8-5 on the strength of two goals apiece by Connor McQueen and Nicko Fix. The "Player of the Game" ball went to Albert Villalobos, however, for his defensive ability to not allow a goal from the two-meter offensive set position.

LCC captured the novice game by a 7-4 score to conclude the triple-header.