Boys’ water polo finds mixed success in the AFC tournament

Photos by Thomas Forman 
Photo Editor

Boys’ water polo competed in the AFC tournament in San Diego on Friday, October 20, and Saturday, October 21, finishing with a 3-2 record. The Tigers, who had bursts of momentum throughout the tournament, took a few games to establish their attack.

The team’s offense started off on the wrong foot, as it totaled just ten goals in the first two games, losing 9-5 and 10-5 against Palos Verdes, a 2016 Division II quarterfinalist, and Northwood High School, a 2016 Division IV semifinalist, respectively. Limiting Palos Verdes’ potent offense to just nine goals and Northwood’s powerful attack to ten goals demonstrated the quality of the Tigers’ defense.  

The South Pas squad rebounded with three wins versus Claremont, Cerritos, and Rio Mesa on Saturday. South Pas’ team chemistry developed as the weekend progressed, with the Tigers final matchup resulting in an 8-7 scoreline.

“In the Rio Mesa game we really got our act together as a team,” senior Philip Lee said. “This weekend was a great learning experience for all of us, as we prepared ourselves for a great postseason in CIF.”

Freshman Eddie Lane-Flanigan stood out on offense, scoring nine of South Pas’ 12 goals against Claremont. Defensively, freshman goalie Liam Markus had a major impact, blocking numerous catapults from opposing squads. Solid performances from Lane-Flanigan, Markus, and other Tigers bode well for CIF, where South Pas hopes to make a deep run.

Boys’ water polo will attempt to record its sixth win of the season against the Monrovia Wildcats on Tuesday, October 24 at Monrovia High School.

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