In a hard-fought battle against the Hillsdale Knights, the Scots suffered a defeat. This intense matchup left spectators on the edge of their seats and marked the end of the varsity season, sending the Knights to the Central Coast Section (CCS) playoffs.
The Knights opened the game strong with a few goals. The Scots could not keep up and had trouble defending in the first half. Although they were trailing behind for the entirety of the game, they fought until the end, losing with a score of 17-15.
“We have always been a very strong defensive team, but today was not our strongest defensive day in the first half, but we did get it back in the second,” said Justine Hedlund, the varsity water polo coach.
The first and second quarters were major setbacks for the Scots, conceding six goals each quarter. The first half ended with a score of 12-6 for the Knights, but the third quarter was a significant highlight for the Scots as they tightened the scoreline. During the third quarter, the Scots came back to a difference of 2 goals, with a score of 13-11 for the Knights.
“During the third quarter, the energy was very good, and the team scored a lot of points, and it was especially great,” said Orion Gurskis, a spectator at the game.
Preparation for the game was challenging for the Scots, who knew the opposing team would be strong. The Knights were especially tough to play against during the game because they were playing for a chance at CCS.
“We knew that they had a strong player, No. 4, so we had planned to double-team him the majority of the game. We just practiced some movement offense and worked on covering that one player who is just outstanding,” Hedlund said.
Although the Scots dominated the third quarter, the Knights seized control of the game in the fourth by keeping possession and using all their shot clock time. This worked well for the Knights, scoring four more goals and securing their spot in CCS.
“In the later half of the game, it was really tough, and they eventually broke away and closed out the game strong, so congrats to them,” said Eli Samon, a sophomore on varsity.
As hard as it was for some to lose this season’s final game and senior night, the Scots players were proud of their performance and played their best game.
Although the Scots did not have good results this season, they fought hard and are proud of their achievements.
“We have a representative from every grade level, and learning to work together when you have 14 to 18-year-olds can sometimes be tricky, but they really came together as a team, and I think that was really cool,” Hedlund said.
The Scots are already looking forward to next season. They have set high expectations and are prepared to take on the challenge.
“The goal for next season is to make it to CCS and win,” Samon said.
