By Nick Michael
Staff Writer
After Thursday’s disappointing loss to Montebello High School, the varsity boys’ water polo team was eager to get back on the right track. The boys did just that on Friday, as they soundly won both of their games in the Los Altos Tournament, by scores of 18-2 and 16-8.
“These two games were the best games we’ve played all season,” junior Rob Decker said. “We came out with urgency and a purpose.”
The first game, against Ramona High School, was an easy victory for the Tigers. Most of the South Pasadena starters played only the first quarter, and the substitutes were able to get some valuable playing time, as they played the majority of the game. The feeble Ramona defense provided little challenge to the Tiger offense, as the game ended 18-2.
The second game, against Los Altos High School, was more difficult for South Pasadena. The Tigers got off to a hot start, jumping out to a 7-1 lead in the first quarter. However, as the game progressed, the referees began to have a big impact on the game. Juniors DJ Myer and Matthew Wright were both ejected due to foul trouble. Despite these setbacks, South Pasadena managed to maintain the lead. Junior Ben Schroeder, who racked up steal after steal on defense, helped carry the Tigers through the second and third quarters. In the final minutes of the game, junior Leo Sonner stole the ball off of a Los Altos player and proceeded to burst down the pool and fire a shot into the back of the net. This sparked a string of three unanswered goals that extended South Pasadena’s lead to eight, putting the game out safely out of reach for Los Altos.
The two emphatic wins improved the team’s record to a solid 6-1 on the year. The team’s next game will be a continuation of the Los Altos tournament on Saturday, September 19, in Chino Hills.
