The boys’ varsity water polo team ended the season with a few wins in the Division 2 CIF Southern Section, setting high expectations for upcoming years. 

The Wildcats earned their entry ticket to the first round of CIF with a 16-7 win against Yorba Linda High School on Oct. 25.

“They weren’t very intense so our guys had a somewhat easy time shutting them down. They were all around good polo players and I enjoyed playing them,” Phillip McWade, senior and boys’ varsity water polo captain, said.

McWade inspired the team and took charge of the game by scoring 2 goals, and Gavin Templeton, sophomore and top scorer, contributed to the win by scoring 6 goals.

At CIF Round 1, the Wildcats took an upset victory over the Riverside Poly Bears on Nov. 1 with a close score of 13-12. The Wildcats were the underdogs the first three quarters until multiple players stepped up to pull out a win in the last few minutes of the game.

“We were losing the entirety of the game and we ended up coming back just through hard work and effort in the last quarter,” senior and captain Tyler Peterson said.

Peterson scored six goals against Riverside Poly and gained multiple assists as well as steals.

However, their streak came to an end with a tough 8-9 away loss against the Dos Pueblos High School Chargers on Nov. 3 in the second CIF round. Starting the first half, the Wildcats didn’t start out on a strong foot but got their momentum going in the second.

Peterson scored two goals for the Wildcats, Templeton scored four against the Chargers, and Kyle Franks, freshman, and Russ DiCesaris, sophomore, each put in one goal.

“The most difficult part of the season was the losses because all of them should have been wins,” Templeton said. When looking back on losses of close games, Peterson said the Wildcats always had opportunities but couldn’t capitalize and put a goal in the net. 

Even though the Wildcats didn’t end their season with a win, the team is proud of the positive environment created through the sport.

“The atmosphere of our team was more like a family than a team,” Templeton said. 

Despite any challenges thrown at the Wildcats throughout the season, whether it be 5am practices or adjusting to playing new positions, they managed to overcome them and enjoy their season together.

Peterson agreed, “We always tried to make the atmosphere of each game as fun as possible while still doing the best we can.”

The Wildcat’s loss against Dos Pueblos High School marked the end of their CIF run as well as their season. “I think this season was good and I feel like we got a lot better as a team,” DiCesaris said. “Next season the goal is to improve as a whole and also win CIF if we have the chance.”