Close to the end of the triple sudden death overtime in an early season game, junior Brandon West scored with a powerful cross cage shot to win the game and send the varsity water polo team to the semi finals of a tournament.
It was repeated moments like these that propelled the boys varsity water polo team through the season, and allowed them to end the regular season with a 21-3 record, their best record in years, according to junior Grayson Noyes.
Despite their record making season, their fight for the MCAL title fell short on Saturday, Nov. 2 with a 13-9 loss to the Drake Pirates.
During that game, West had four goals, all in the second half, while junior Giorgio Cico and senior Tom Cavanaugh had scored two goals each.
After this loss Redwood is focusing on tightening up details and strategies in order to play a stronger game in the upcoming North Coast Section (NCS) tournament, where as a second seed they will face either Cardinal Newman or Encinal, who they beat earlier in the season in the second round.
“We’ve really been working on coming out strong in the first quarter and making a statement, putting goals on the board and playing with tenacity in the first quarter,” senior Tom Cavanaugh said.
“If we come out strong, it shouldn’t be a problem,” said Cavanaugh, referring to their upcoming post season NCS matches.
Noyes credits their winning record with the close, familiar atmosphere of the team.
“Since last season we’ve really bonded as a team, and we’ve really gotten to know each other. It really is like a small family,” Noyes said.
He also praised their coach of three years, Rudy Kardos, for getting the team in excellent playing condition, and for working on building a solid foundation of basic skills.
“We have all the fundamentals down. The only thing we need to focus on is the mental aspect,” said Kardos, explaining that the most important thing for the team to remember going into the upcoming NCS tournament is their mindset, and for them to continue to believe in their skills.
“By the end of two years you will see a championship ring on our fingers,” Noyes said. “We have worked too hard for us not to.”
