Boys Water Polo Wins CIF Quarter Finals for First Time

The SDA varsity boys water polo team took down its long-time rival, Classical Academy, at La Jolla High School this past Saturday during the CIF quarter finals with a final score of 11-7, moving them on to the semifinals.

The game started off slow during the first two quarters, during which the boys fell behind Classical Academy, unable to defend against the opposition’s strong offensive players. However, after halftime the SDA boys pulled ahead and gained a strong lead that they maintained throughout the final two quarters.

Sophomore Matheus Gensler led the team in points, scoring a total of three goals by the end of the game. Junior Kekoa Wheeler and senior Sam Dumont followed close behind him with two goals each. Both Wheeler and Dumont managed to score their goals one after another, setting the crowd wild with team spirit.

Other main contributions were made by juniors Wesley Tyler, Zach Lewis, Max Van Loan, and Carl Winner, who each scored one point for the team. Sophomore goalie Dylan Herrera made seven saves.

The stands were packed tight with parents, students, and administration supporting and cheering for the boys. Their energy was encouraged by fun, loud music played during timeouts and halftime.

This coming Thursday at 7:30 p.m. at La Jolla High School are the semifinals against Olympian High school. This season marks the first time in SDA boys water polo history that the team has made it to semi-finals.

“Our end goal is making finals and winning our team a banner in the gym that’ll stay up forever,” Lewis said about his plan for the game on Thursday. “It feels amazing to be a part of a team that’s making SDA history.”