Goalie Connor McConkie has 19 saves, Brennan Wilson has six
goals in 17-13 loss.
The Christopher High water polo team learned a lot about itself Tuesday afternoon.
A sluggish start set the Cougars behind 8-1 midway through the second period, but a fury of goals cut the seven-goal deficit to three by halftime. The gap narrowed to just one by the end of the third period as the tide began to turn in the Cougars’ favor.
However, the inspired effort landed just shy of its target as the Cougars dropped a 17-13 decision to Alvarez at Gavilan.
“We learned some of the strengths we didn’t know we had,” said freshman goalie Connor McConkie, who had 19 saves on the afternoon. “It felt good to see my teammates play up like that.”
The young Cougars, who have just two juniors on the varsity roster, three sophomores and three freshmen, have been learning the game on the fly under the guidance of head coach Paul Wells.
“They are a great group of people,” Wells said after Tuesday’s match. “They are starting to understand the game of water polo. They have come such a long way in six weeks.”
CHS put its hard work to the test and created its best effort of season thus far.
The Cougars surrendered five unanswered goals to start the contest as the Eagles thinned out the Cougars’ defense. A goal by freshman Brennan Wilson at the end of the opening period only signaled the beginning of the Cougars’ uphill climb back into the match.
“We had a good practice (Monday) but they had a little lapse there,” Wells said of the shaky first quarter. “(The pace) is twice as quick in a game. They were a little shell-shocked the first three minutes, but by and large, they got it together.”
After allowing three more scores to open the second period, the Cougars defense hunkered down – including four point-blank saves by McConkie – and converted on four straight offensive possessions.
“I get on Connor because I expect a lot from him,” Wells said. “He made a lot of great saves.”
Four different Cougars, Matthew Higginbotham, Kaitlin Ramirez, Wilson and James Benson, lit up the scoreboard to bring CHS within three at the break.
“We started having great passes and working as a team,” Wilson said.
Wilson tallied in the first minute of the third period and Ramirez added her second, and just like that, the Cougars were one goal from tying the situation.
After a McConkie save, CHS countered and Higginbotham deposited the equalizer. Wilson tallied twice more and Higginbotham delivered another, however, the Eagles earned their fair share of goals as well to leave the score 12-11 in their favor entering the final seven minutes.
Alvarez mustered a boost of energy in the fourth and posted five consecutive goals to put the game out of reach. Benson and Wilson scored as time slipped away.
“We just have to keep working as a team and on our outside shots,” Wilson said.
CHS doesn’t hit the pool again until Monday in a match with Gilroy.
