The Carlmont Scots junior varsity boys water polo team fell to the Sequoia Ravens on Wednesday, Oct. 29, with a final score of 17-5.
The Ravens took an early lead, keeping possession of the ball and pressuring the Scots throughout the first half. The Scots tried to keep the game close, but Sequoia managed to score an impressive five goals by the end of the first half.
“I would say this game isn’t necessarily representative of what we’ve been doing as a team and how we’ve been looking,” said sophomore Spencer Brown. “I think we still saw some really good growth throughout the season, and I definitely saw some improvements.”
While the Ravens were in control for much of the game, the Scots still saw some success on offense, scoring three goals to end the half trailing 5-3.
“The few goals we had were great goals. We had some outside shots that were good and some close fast breaks,” said sophomore Evan Ho.
In the second half, Sequoia continued to dominate possession, especially during the third quarter, keeping the Scots from scoring. The Scots played solid defense, but were unable to stop Sequoia, and began breaking down as the game progressed.
“I felt like I played a good defensive game, I don’t think I gave up a single goal or turnover, and I wasn’t giving up, but it was hard,” Brown said.
Carlmont’s offense also slowed down slightly in the second half, having fewer drives upfield and less possession of the ball. However, the Scots still had several promising plays and two great goals in the fourth quarter to end on a high note.
“A team bright spot has been the competitive spirit the varsity and junior varsity teams have displayed in competitions,” said Carlmont coach Ricardo Garcia.
An offensive highlight came during the fourth quarter, when freshman Naveen Niewmierzycki threw a high pass to sophomore Daniel Rodrigues, who was left wide open. Rodrigues delivered a powerful shot, slotting the ball into the bottom right corner of the goal.
“A few things we worked on in practice were doing faster passes and getting open as well as taking more shots,” Brown said. “When we worked on all of those basics and put them together, it definitely helped us play better.”
The game ended with a decisive victory for Sequoia, with a final score of 17-5. Throughout the game, Sequoia dictated the pace and had control of the ball more than the Scots.
Despite the score, the Scots remain motivated to improve as a team, building up the program in preparation for next season.
“We’ve definitely had better games, but we didn’t do too badly. We just need to work on some of our plays and get those ready for next year so we can have a better season,” Ho said.
While the season has presented numerous challenges, the Carlmont team has come together and developed a strong team culture.
“It’s fun playing with your teammates, getting an assist for a teammate or helping them out on a play,” Ho said. “It just feels great to be a part of a team and make the environment fun for everyone.”
