SD Prep Sports

SD Prep Sports: Water Polo

New coach has Norsemen making waves

By Phillip Brents

Updated Sept. 21, 2003

One might say that Valhalla High School boys water polo coach Ryan Needles has the best seat in the house.

Certainly he has to like what he has seen so far from his team, which advanced to last year’s San Diego Section Division I semifinals but lost heavily to graduation.

At right: 2003 Valhalla Norsemen and new head coach Ryan Needles

A former All-American while attending Monte Vista High School, Needles’ vantage point is unique: he sits poolside in a motorized wheelchair.

The 1998 Monarch grad is paralyzed from the chest down following a motorcycle accident midway through his senior year in high school. However, he did not let the resulting physical limitations hinder him.

"I looked at what I could no longer do and what I could do and in order for me to stay involved in water polo, I had to get involved from the coaching standpoint," he said.

Needles coached the junior varsity/novice team at his alma mater before joining the Valhalla coaching staff in 1999. He served as the Norsemen’s JV coach and assistant varsity coach until taking over for legendary head coach Kent Houston this season.

A fiery player while in high school, Needles said he has mellowed out as a coach. "I try to be a lot more reserved. I’ve got to make sure what I tell the kids is 100 percent right so they know I’m not leading them in the wrong direction," he said.

So far, the defending Grossmont South League champion Norsemen appear to be heading in the right direction.

Valhalla improved its early season record to 6-2 after finishing in seventh place in last week’s 32-team Poway Invitational.

The Norsemen opened the tournament by downing San Pasqual, 12-4, and University of San Diego High School, 10-7, in games played Sept. 18 at Santana High. Valhalla had its season-opening win streak stopped at 5-0 following a 13-1 loss to eventual tournament runner-up La Jolla the next day. The Norsemen dropped a 9-8 playoff game to Scripps Ranch in the final day of competition on Sept. 20 to advance to the seventh-place medal-round game against Vista.

Valhalla ended the tournament on a winning note with an 11-9 victory.

The Norsemen have received strong offensive play thus far from junior utilityman Bryan Zitren, senior two-meter set Phil Amberg, junior driver Jesse Fox and senior two-meter guard Mike Daly and outstanding goaltending from returner Chad Evenrud.

Zitren and Amberg each scored to goals in the victory against San Pasqual to match teammates Vito Russo and Sean Foley. Russo, a junior, also added two assists to finish the contest with four points while Daly had a goal and three assists. Steve Wilson led the Valhalla defense with four steals while Evenrud made nine saves while also making one steal from his goalie position.

Also playing key leadership roles are returners David Hammack, a senior driver, and Ryder Olson, a senior utilityman.

Olson and Zitren scored three goals each in the seventh-place game against Vista.

Valhalla defeated Scripps Ranch, 8-7 in sudden-death overtime (seven periods of play), Grossmont, 14-8, and West Hills, 17-7, prior to entering the Poway Invitational. Needles credited Evenrud with the defensive star of the game award in the win against Scripps Ranch by making more than 20 saves.

All-around team play defines this year's Valhalla squad, according to both Needles and players.

"We don't have any real major standouts. We pretty much have a strong solid team with equal ability," Needles said. "Almost everyone is at the same level. Every kid is going to do the same job no matter who I pull out of the water."

Goals are to try to match last year’s showing with a largely new group.

Said Amberg: "Last year, we relied more on individuals than teamwork. This year we’re forced to rely more on teamwork. Our coach said we’re the underdogs this year but we definitely have a shot."

At right: Vito Russo winds up for a four-meter penalty shot. He led the Norsemen with two goals and two assists in their 12-4 victory against San Pasqual in the opening game of this year's 32-team Poway Invitational.

Notepad

West Hills finished 3-2 in the tournament by beating North League rival Grossmont 17-16 and Hilltop 20-5 in the final day of competition that also featured a South League matchup between Steele Canyon and Mt. Miguel that ended 14-7 in Steele Canyon’s favor.

Helix finished 4-1 in the tournament on the strength of four consecutive victories following an opening-round 15-3 loss to eventual tournament champion Carlsbad. The Highlanders finished the tourney with wins against Grossmont, Clairemont, Serra and Rancho Bernardo.

University of Irvine defeated Fallbrook, 12-9, in the third-place game while Poway stopped Scripps Ranch, 16-9, to place fifth.