First published in the Oct. 21 print issue of the Pasadena Outlook.
Flintridge Prep’s varsity boys’ water polo team edged visiting Polytechnic, 8-6, in a low-scoring game on last Friday.
Goalie Dylan Mealey recorded a game-high 15 saves to help the Wolves move to second place in the Prep League.
The third quarter was a key to Prep’s victory as Noah Corral and Diego Ynzunza combined for three goals while the Wolves held Poly scoreless to claim a 6-3 lead.
“Our goalie, Dylan Mealey, had a fantastic game. He’s lights out in the cage,” said Andrew Phil-lips, Prep’s head coach. “Noah Corral did a great job; he exposed [Poly’s] defense.”
Poly’s Alejandro Ceva started the second quarter’s scoring to claim a 2-1 lead with 5:44 to play.
Poly’s Peter Ryan (white cap) looks for an open shot as he is guarded by Flintridge Prep’s Michael Gamboa (6, blue cap). Poly narrowly lost, 8-6.
Then Prep’s Ty Young and Poly’s Theodore Rountree-Shtulman traded goals as the Panthers maintained a one-goal lead, 3-2.
With 1:16 left to play, Prep’s Diego Barraclough scored a slick, behind-the-back goal to tie the match 3-3 before halftime.
“Diego Barraclough is definitely a standout player for us,” Phillips said. “He facilitates our of-fense; he’s the one driving through and he’s also one of our guards on defense.”
Barraclough finished with a game-high three goals while Corral scored twice on three shots.
Poly’s Rountree-Shtulman and Theodore Kratter scored goals to chip away at the deficit in the final quarter. But the Wolves extended their lead to 8-5 as Michael Gamboa and Barraclough scored goals.
Ceva scored one more goal with nine seconds left to play in the fourth to end the match, 8-6.
“I just think, offensively, we had our struggles. We weren’t putting away shots, our shot selec-tion wasn’t great, but they played with a lot of heart,” said Sean Grab, Poly’s head coach. “Alejandro Ceva was the one offensively who was a force. He was shooting the ball, one of the only ones that would do it today, and I thought he did a great job keeping us in the game.”
Rountree-Shtulman, Kratter and Ceva provided all of the Panthers’ scoring with two goals each. Poly’s Jack Marion-Sims had a fine day with a team-high nine saves despite the loss.
The Wolves entered this week with a 5-1 Prep League record (12-10 overall). Meanwhile, the Panthers entered this week 2-3 in league (9-6 overall). Flintridge Prep will travel to Poly for a re-match on Tuesday, Oct. 26, at 3:45 p.m. It will be the regular season finale for both teams.
