Monday, November 20, 2023

LJ b water polo 13, Vista 12 - So Cal Regionals championship

The Vikings' dominating defense shows
in the first quarter of La Jolla's 12-6
win at home over El Segundo Nov. 14
in the first round of the Southern
California Regionals. Here Cooper Albana (3)
of the Eagles, from the "5" position,
faces two Vikings, including goalie
Vinny Vega (rear).
(Photo by Ed Piper)



La Jolla, behind gritty performances by its senior leaders, held on for a 13-12 victory over Vista in the finals of the Southern California Regionals Sat., Nov. 18, at Mt. San Antonio College. The win completed a season in which Coach Tom Atwell's seniors set the goal of winning a title.

Vista came back to score a goal with 39 seconds left, but the Vikings (22-7) applied defense and maintained the one-goal edge to the end of the game. Dustin Drobeck, a 12th-grader, blocked a final shot to preserve the win.

Senior Weston Bancroft score three goals, including one with a minute left. Returning All-CIF player West Gartland also scored a trio of goals.

Goalie Vinnie Vega played the entire game, himself "a leader in the pool", according to Atwell.

Center Soren Martin and Drobeck each scored two goals.

La Jolla made it to the CIF San Diego Section semifinals before losing to Cathedral Catholic, the eventual San Diego champ. Bishop's, another semifinalist, Cathedral, and the Vikings are the cream of local water polo this fall.

No comments:

Post a Comment