SD Prep Sports

SD Prep Sports: Water Polo

2005 South Bay League Preview:

Hilltop aims to play it to the finish in 2K5

By Phillip Brents

Posted Sept. 1, 2005

Photo: Varsity returners, from left, Greg Felix, Garrett Boyle, Matt Chism and Albert Villalobos

Tuesday’s Hilltop High School alumni-varsity water polo game at the Parkway pool set a new standard for the series in terms of both assembled talent and entertainment value. Current Lancer head coach John Salts hopes his team can carry a few lessons learned in the water from past players into this season.

Hilltop tips off regular season play Friday, Sept. 2, with a 4 p.m. game against Escondido at the Parkway pool. Whatever the outcome, Salts wants his team to feel satisfied it had played to its potential at the game’s conclusion. That, he said, is the squad’s new operating philosophy for this season.

“Our No. 1 goal is to walk away from this season being proud of what we accomplished. The past couple years, we felt we fell short of what we wanted to do. I think mentally we let down in a few games that cost us. This year, we want to give it our all in the water. If we get beat, we want to get beat by a team that was just better than us,” Salts said.

The current varsity unit can hold its collective head up after dropping a 21-6 decision to a ferocious alumni unit that featured some of the finest players to ever play for the school over the past three decades.

Headlining the list of alumni players were Greg Sokil, Ricky and Ernie Medina, Edgard Espinosa, Chris Moselle (current Otay Ranch coach), Joel Lopez and Randy Coutts, the school’s first-ever water polo coach. The game even pitted father against son in at least one instance with Larry Boyle playing for the alumni and Garrett Boyle playing for the varsity.

The result was not surprising, according to several alumni players who wore satisfied grins on their faces following the contest.

“You had some of the best guys from the program over the years playing in this game. Even though they were older and slower, they were bigger and more physical. You also can’t discount experience,” said Dan Kovar, who played on Hilltop’s first-ever team in 1974 and combined for a rare father-son duo in the water with his son Kyle, a 2004 Lancer grad.

“It was fun. I didn’t think this many guys would show up,” said goalie Corey Coughlin, a 2000 Hilltop graduate and most recently at Southwestern College.

Nearly 20 alumni players turned out for the match, which included a post-game barbecue.

The competitiveness of the alumni squad was bolstered by several recent graduates, including Nick, Richard and Rob Davidson, Andrew Andriopulos, Corey Fix and Hesam Jelveh. Also suiting up for the alumni unit were Gabriel Guerrero and Ted Jones. Rob Davidson is the current Chula Vista High coach.

Photo: Matt Chism

Salts rotated his varsity, junior varsity and novice players in the game, giving them all a taste of experience. Top returning starters this season include Garrett Boyle, Matt Chism and Greg Felix. Nicko Fix and Ian Barnes also return from last year’s varsity team. Newcomers up from last year’s JV team hoping to make an impact include goalie Mitch Seeley and field players Albert Villalobos and Ricky Lucero.

The emphasis will be on maintaining a sharp mental edge until the final whistle. “We want to leave it out there. We want to play every game like it is a championship game,” Salts said.