Seven straight goals in fourth lifts GHS boys polo over
Monterey, 12-2
GILROY – The best offense is a good defense.
That is what once again fueled the Gilroy High boys water polo team in Monday’s 12-2 home win over Monterey as they erupted for seven unanswered goals in the final quarter.
“We thought we should have taken it to them early,” said junior Travis Gamble, who was expecting a repeat of an earlier lopsided victory over the Toreadors. “This time, we were too slow. We were playing more defensive.”
The Mustang defense swarmed the Monterey attackers and never let up through four quarters – eventually tiring out the visitors before striking with swift efficiency. A 5-2 lead heading into the fourth quarter quickly turned into a 10-goal runaway for the hosts.
“We played really sloppy (but) that’s where we’ve been winning a lot of games because of our conditioning,” said head coach Tom Clark, whose squad upped its record to 2-1 in T-CAL and 10-5 overall. “They tire out. We don’t.”
Junior sniper Santiago Maciel tallied a team-high six goals – including a run of three straight to close out the match. Gamble added two first-quarter strikes, while junior Lee Walton as well as teammates Jake Klaver and Ryan Boe finished with a goal apiece.
“We just really stepped it up. We were playing crappy in the beginning. It was too close, but we stepped it up in the end,” Gamble said. “They tired out. That’s all we do in practice is swim.”
The Mustangs took a 4-2 lead into the half and then extended to a three-goal lead with the only goal by either team in the third quarter. Maciel picked up a loose ball in front of the Monterey net and tossed it in.
“Every year, it’s a battle,” said Gamble of facing Monterey.
The fourth quarter was all Gilroy though, as Klaver converted a sweet look from teammate Scott Dickson to start the run. Mustang goalie Nick Van Winkle followed with a heads-up play – blocking a blast and then throwing the ball long to junior forward Lee Walton for a strike.
“We do have the speed,” Clark said. “(Our goalie) is supposed to look for the counter attack. We don’t cherry pick. That’s what we look for.”
It was there for Gilroy’s third goal in a 1:23 span as Maciel scored on a breakaway in transition. After scoring another on a four-meter penalty shot, Maciel finished off a feed from Gamble and the one from Dickson. The last strike came via Boe – whose hard shot found the back of the net.
“They’ve been clobbering us the last couple of years. It’s our turn,” said Clark, whose team has already surpassed last year’s win total of nine.
Up next, the Mustangs play host to neighboring rival Live Oak at 3:30 p.m.
“That’s going to be different altogether,” said Clark, looking ahead to the Acorns. “They are very well organized. They are very disciplined. They’ve been playing tough games in tough tournaments. We’re going to have to work a lot harder than today to beat Live Oak.”
