Metro Conference boys water polo teams have plied the waves for the opening month of the 2022 fall season and several teams already appear to be making a splash.
Eastlake met and Hilltop in its Mesa League opener Thursday at the Parkway pool. Both teams had gotten off to strong starts in non-league play – Eastlake with an 8-4 record and Hilltop with a 9-3 record.
The teams were separated by one goal – 5-4 – at the conclusion of a hotly contested opening half before the game diverged when one of Hilltop’s stronger players received a game ejection for an excessive foul.
The result was a 15-6 win for the visiting Titans and a look ahead to what promises to be an equally competitive rematch.
“Going up 1-0 in league is huge,” Eastlake coach Austin Legg said. “It allows us to gain confidence off that. It allows us to get rid of some of the jitters.”
Hilltop senior Aidan Garces opened scoring and Eastlake senior Zane Derrod quickly countered for an early 1-1 standoff. The teams exchanged goals with Hilltop taking a 2-1 lead on another goal by Garces and the Titans matching that with a six-on-five goal by senior Juan Castillo.
Garces scored his third goal of the game on an easy rebound shot to give the Lancers a 3-2 lead before Castillo scored to tie the match at 3-all.
Derrod was then credited with a goal on a hard shot that was redirected into the cage off the head of a Hilltop player to put Eastlake ahead 4-3 on the scored.
Only two goals – one by each team – were scored in the second period to stake Eastlake to a 5-4 halftime lead.
Derrod scored his third goal of the game to lift the Titans to a 5-3 lead early in the second quarter before Hilltop senior Petros Kapetanios brought the hosts back to within a goal on the scoreboard.
Hilltop senior Petros Kapetanios tied the game at 5-5 to open the second half, But the game radically changed after the visitors reeled off seven unanswered goals to claim a towering 12-5 lead.
Derrod scored a six-on-five goal to push the Titans ahead once again. Eastlake followed with two more power play goals – one each by seniors Aiden Andre and Trevor Pond – to expand the lead to 8-5. Derrod tacked on his fourth goal of the game to up the Titan lead to 9-5.
Petros Kapetanios scored on a five-meter penalty shot to finally stem the tide for Hilltop. But the Lancers, trailing 12-6, would not score again in the contest.
Eastlake senior Zane Derrod was a force to be reckoned with both on offense and defense in Thursday’s game. Photos by Phillip Brents
Derrod would finish as the game’s top scorer with five goals, three assists and one steal while Pond collected four goals, one assist and two steals.
Overall, seven Titans scored goals. Castillo had two goals and one assist, Andre had one goal and four assists, senior Mario Mendias had one goal and two steals, junior Joel Kipp had one goal and one steal and freshman Alex Gascon scored one goal.
Sophomore Lawson Soukup made eight saves and two steals while protecting the Eastlake cage.
“We’ve done well so far and we want to keep the curve moving upward,” Legg said. “We’re continuing to build. The San Diego Open tournament (later in October) will be a good one for us before the CIF playoffs.”
Petros Kapetanios had two goals for the Lancers, who are concurrently competing in the East County Invitational.
Both Kapetanios brothers and Garces are Hilltop’s top returning players following the graduation of standouts Raul Rico and Evan Rodriguez.
“We started off rocky, which can be attributed to a new coach coming into the program,” first-year Hilltop boys coach Bri Mullalley said. “My main goal was to get them to gain trust in me and follow my system, and the team has exceeded my expectations so far.
“I want Hilltop to have a presence in league. The guys want a winning season, They’re off to a great start.”
This year’s Mesa League lineup includes Eastlake, Hilltop, Mater Dei Catholic, Mar Vista, Otay Ranch and Castle Park.
The Lancers defeated Mater Dei Catholic, 19-7, in the teams’ league opener on Sept. 27.
Eastlake and Hilltop rematch Oct. 18 at Southwestern College.
Mar Vista defeated Mater Dei Catholic, 19-9, on Thursday in the teams’ Mesa League opener.
Mar Vista improved to 1-0 in league, 6-8 overall, while Mater Dei Catholic dropped to 0-2 in league, 1-9 overall.
Making waves
Bonita Vista is off to a 5-1 start, including non-league wins over Mater Dei Catholic (17-4 on Aug. 31, Otay Ranch (24-5 on Sept. 7), West Hills (9-8 on Sept. 13), Castle Park (13-10 on Sept. 20) and Valley Center (16-9 on Sept. 26).
The Barons were ranked third among Division III teams in the latest rankings release, trailing No, 1 Santa Fe Christian (8-2) and No. 2 Rancho Buena Vista (5-4). Montgomery (4-2) was ranked fourth, followed by No. 5 La Jolla Country Day (4-4), No. 6 El Camino (1-8), No. 7 Chula Vista (0-2), No. 8 Southwest (1-0), No. 9 Castle Park (5-6) and No. 10 Olympian (4-3).
Bonita Vista drops to the South Bay League this season alongside Montgomery, San Ysidro, Chula Vista, Southwest and Olympian.
Helix (6-1) holds down the early season No. 1 ranking among Division II teams while Rancho Bernardo (12-5) is ranked second.
Metro Conference Boys Water Polo Standings
Mesa League
Eastlake Titans 1-0, 9-4
Mar Vista Mariners 1-0, 6-8
Hilltop Lancers 1-1, 9-4
Castle Park 0-0, 5-4
Otay Ranch 0-0, 2-4
Mater Dei Catholic 0-2, 1-9
Tuesday, Sept. 27
Hilltop 19, Mater Dei Catholic 7
Thursday, Sept. 29
Eastlake 15, Hilltop 6
Mar Vista 19, Mater Dei Catholic 9
South Bay League
Montgomery Aztecs 1-0, 4-2
Southwest Raiders 1-1, 2-1=
Bonita Vista 0-0, 5-1
Olympian 0-0, 3-3
San Ysidro 0-0, 0-1
Chula Vista 0-1, 0-2
Tuesday, Sept. 27
Montgomery 22, Southwest 8
Thursday, Sept. 29
Southwest 16, Chula Vista 7
