Not quite as exciting as the first meeting, yet ever-so more important, the Santa Barbara boys water polo team shook off a rough first quarter to rally and beat Dos Pueblos 9-6 in a regular-season ending match with the Channel League title as the stakes.
“Even though the score might not be as exciting as the 6-5 overtime, that game was the best game we’ve played in the last couple of weeks or more,” said Santa Barbara goalie Hunter Ploch, who had even more to celebrate after learning earlier in the day he had been accepted to Stanford to play polo.
The Dons secured their second league title in three years, but it looked as though it would be the Chargers celebrating a league title after the first quarter.
Derek Shoemaker quickly put the Chargers up 1-0 and Chase Racich fired in two more, including an 8-meter laser past Ploch. DP goalie Kyle Wollert came up big in the quarter as well, stopping Jeff Churchman from point blank range.
“We were so amped on being up because coming into the game we were thinking it was going to be one of those tight ones,” explained Racich.
Charger head coach Chris Parrish knew the game would tighten up.
“We got super lucky. I mean, it’s just that simple. Santa Barbara is probably one of the top three defensive teams in the nation as far as high school water polo. To get three goals against them in any quarter is pretty remarkable.”
The Dons looked like a different team after that, clamping down on defense and executing in 6-on-5 situations to outscore the Chargers 9-3 the rest of the way. Ian Gamble scored three, and Jason Masho and Chris Dall scored twice in that span.
“I thought the game really came down to 6-on-5 and 5-on-6,” Walsh said, noting that Dons scored on three-of-four man-up opportunities and stopped the Chargers on five-of-six of theirs. “I thought that was the key to the game.”
Ploch, who had 13 saves and has a 4.87 GPA, joins Gamble in Palo Alto as prized recruits.
“I was thinking this will maybe give him the confidence he needs to play the way he’s capable of playing,” said Walsh, who thought it might have been a distraction of late. “And obviously second quarter and on he was phenomenal.”
“It’s a relief,” Ploch admitted. “I don’t have to worry about anything until next year.”
Except maybe a playoff run.
The Chargers and the Dons, both ranked in the top-10 of Division I, will host CIF playoff matches next Thursday. Pairings are announced on Sunday or Monday.
Gamble is confident in the Dons’ prospects: “If we play like that or better we should (win a CIF title). Definitely.”
SANTA BARBARA 9, DOS PUEBLOS 6
Dos Pueblos 3 1 1 1 – 6
Santa Barbara 0 5 3 1 – 9
Scores: DP- Racich 2, Kistler, Cappon, Shoemaker. SB- Gamble 3, Dall 2, Masho 2, Kerwin-McElroy, Sklar.
