Hilltop boys water polo team looking for success in move up to Division II level

The Hilltop High School boys water polo team advanced as far as last year’s San Diego Section Division III semifinals before losing an overtime decision to Mesa League rival Bonita Vista. The Lancers are moving up to Division II this season and expect to find the competition more challenging.

After the opening two weeks of regular season play, Hilltop sports a 2-2 record with wins over Monte Vista (15-6) and Mira Mesa (17-2) and losses to Helix (16-9) and Ramona (12-10).

The Lancers came up short in their latest game last Friday at the Parkway pool after rallying from an 8-4 halftime deficit against Ramona to narrow the score to 10-9 in with 2:33 remaining in the non-league contest.

“That would have been a big win for us,” veteran HHS head coach Ernie Medina explained.

Hilltop lost a lot of firepower  — not to mention experience — with the graduation of Emilio Maldonado last season.

The newcomers have been learning as they go, and it’s been a slow but steady process. Medina indicated he does admire the potential he sees present in this group.

“We have some raw talent — we just don’t have much depth on the bench this year,” Medina noted.

Skylar Garces led the Lancers with four goals in last Friday’s setback to the Bulldogs while Mark Estrada scored two goals. Caleb Macias, Angelo Rayoan, Ivan Corona and Danny Gonzalez each scored once.

Hilltop will get a firm bead on where it stands in this year’s Division II rankings when it engages Point Loma, last season’s Division III champion, in a non-league game Friday, Sept. 23, at the Bud Kearns Memorial Pool in Balboa Park’s Morley Field. Varsity game time is 3 p.m.

Point Loma is off to a 10-4 start this season. The Pointers defeated host Mater Dei Catholic High School, 17-5, on Wednesday, Sept. 21.

Hilltop opens Mesa League play Oct. 4 at MDCHS.

 

 

Metro Conference
Non-League Records
(Through Sept. 16)

Mesa League

Hilltop Lancers 2-2

Otay Ranch Mustangs 1-1

Mater Dei Catholic Crusaders 3-5

Eastlake Titans 2-4

Mar Vista Mariners 1-7

Bonita Vista Barons 0-3

South Bay League

Olympian Eagles 3-0

Montgomery Aztecs 0-2

Castle Park Trojans 0-0

Chula Vista Spartans 0-1

Southwest Raiders 0-1

  • Records available from MaxPreps.com

Olympian water polo team seeks flight upward in league, CIF standings

Catch them if you can! The Olympian High School boys water polo team is on an extended fast break to start the 2016 boys water polo season.

The Eagles, who shared last season’s South Bay League championship banner with the San Ysidro Cougars, improved to 4-0 this season after defeating Mira Mesa, 17-3, in a non-league game Sept. 22 at Miramar College.

“We are a very fast team that reacts quickly to the ball,” first-year Olympian head coach Rachael Medina explained. “We’ve learned that communication and patience bring results.”

Team leaders include two-meter set Brandon Sanchez and driver D.J. O’Brien, both seniors.

The Eagles started their winning streak by sinking the host Otay Ranch Mustangs by a score of 10-9 in a game Sept. 2 at the Loma Verde pool. Olympian then doubled its early win total by defeating host Oceanside by a score of 14-6 Sept. 7 at the Brooks Street pool.

The Eagles improved to 3-0 by defeating Bonita Vista, a finalist in last year’s Division III championship game, by a score of 13-12 in two overtime periods in a non-league played Sept. 14 at the Las Palmas pool in National City. Allan Contreras scored the game-winning goal.

Olympian opens South Bay League play Oct. 4 with a game against Southwest High School at the Parkway pool, then plays San Ysidro Oct. 6 at the same site. Both games feature 5 p.m. starts.

“We’re looking to win the banner outright this season,” the younger Medina explained.

Beyond that the Eagles figure somewhere in the upper half of this season’s Division III rankings after qualifying for last year’s division playoffs (a 16-8 first-round loss to Mission Bay). Helix is a strong contender for this year’s CIF title with Point Loma – last year’s champion — moving up to Division II.

The Highlanders are 5-4 with wins over Hilltop (16-9), Mar Vista (12-3), San Dieguito Academy (15-10), El Camino (8-7) and High Tech High (18-4). The Scotties’ losses have come against Point Loma (9-5), Scripps Ranch (12-8) and Santana (9-5 and 14-9).

Other contenders, based on early season records, include San Dieguito Academy (6-1), Escondido (5-1) and Classical Academy (6-6).

Escondido edged Olympian, 11-10, in a preseason scrimmage after the Eagles trailed 9-2 at one point in the contest.

The seeds seem planted for late season success.

“We should place very high,” Rachael Medina noted.

Just how high is the exciting part.