SD Prep Sports

SD Prep Sports: Water Polo

West Hills seniors, from left, Chris Cooley, Nick Matranga, Kevin Schimpf, Alex Perry and Justin Canty

pose with coach James Searls.

GrossmontConference

Wolf Pack seniors are on the prowl

By Phillip Brents

Posted Sept. 22, 2004

West Hills High coach James Searls has to like the position he finds himself in this season. "Everyone is returning. You gotta love that," Searls said before the Wolf Pack attacked and sank the Eastlake Titans Wednesday evening at the Southwestern College pool.

At right: Josh Bowen (West Hills) is challenged by James Huney (Eastlake).

This is Searls fifth year coaching West Hills. The Wolf Pack has qualified for the San Diego Section playoffs the previous four seasons but has yet to make it past the first round. With five seniors on the 11-man varsity roster, that could change this season.

"This is a great team. They're a bunch of seniors who have bonded together," Searls said of that upperclassman group that includes Chris Cooley, Nick Matranga, Kevin Schimpf, Alex Perry and Justin Canty.

West Hills finished third in last year's Grossmont North League standings behind league champion Santana and runner-up Grossmont. Santana is off to a good start this season by holding down the ffith-ranked position among Division II schools. The Wolf Pack improved its early season record to 5-2 after the victory against Eastlake.

Perry scored nine goals in the win against the Titans while Schimpf scored five times. Josh Bowen scored two goals while West Hills received single goals from Canty, Tyler Wetzel and Corrie Purdy in support of goalie Phil Dettinger.

The Wolf Pack moved out to a 5-1 first quarter lead on three goals by Perry and a pair by Schimpf. After Eastlake presented a challenge in the second quarter by trimming the West Hills advantage to 6-4, the Wolf Pack's senior leadership stood tall in the water as Perry scored to give his team a two-goal lead heading into halftime. West Hills promptly reeled off eight goals in the third quarter to take command of the game at 15-7. Perry, Schimpf and Bowen each scored twice in the period.

At left: Justin Canty (West Hills) sizes up a pass from the perimeter in Sept. 22 non-league game against Eastlake.

The Wolf Pack finished 4-1 in last weekend's Poway Invitational. West Hills dropped its first game of the tournament, 10-9, to Fallbrook but closed out tourney play strong with four consecutive victories to place 17th in the 32-team field.

The Wolf Pack's other four wins have come against Helix, Mira Mesa, Clairemont and Westview. West Hills' only other loss came by a one-goal margin against Granite Hills.

"Our goals this season are to win the league and make it to the quarterfinal round in the CIF playoffs. We'd like to get past the first round for once," Searls said.