Story by Brady Nakamura
Staff Writer
Photo by Tony Chen
Contributor
Coming off an undefeated league campaign, the boys’ water polo team seeks to maintain dominance. South Pas has boasted a stellar 16-2 league record in the past two seasons and hopes to extend their success to the CIF playoffs.
With the departure of sophomore Jaren Sin, who transferred to St. Francis, and graduated senior star Philip Lee, Coach Michael Gonzales will need to rearrange the Tiger lineup. Senior captain Evan Kowal is expected to replace Lee at center; this shift should be a smooth transition, as Kowal plays the position for his club team. His departure from the 1-2 side will leave a hole that the underclassmen must fill. Sophomore Owen Imasaki will drive the offense, while fellow sophomores Michael Felix and twins Egan and Blix Hadsell-Florin are expected to take on larger roles.
“This year, we will try to play faster and diversify our offense through the counterattack as well as more post ups and drives,” Kowal said.
The Tigers’ strong defensive core – led by juniors Liam Markus and Anthony Felix – returns, after only conceding 7.1 goals per league match last year. As starting goalkeeper, Markus and his lightning-fast reflexes will be critical to the team’s success.
The Tigers will return to the pool Sunday, Sep. 1, dueling at Damien High in a preseason matchup.
