The boys’ water polo team defeated the Hillsdale Knights in a powerful 14-10 win on Thursday evening.
Before the game, the Bears made sure to prepare for their opponent. “We’ve definitely been stalking Hillsdale’s MaxPreps and seeing how they’d match up against us. We know a lot of these guys so we know who to watch out for and who we can drop off of,” senior captain Casey Watkins said.
The game started off on the right foot for M-A with senior JD Coolican winning the sprint. The Bears brought the intensity with aggressive shots and an early kick out for junior Evan ten Vaanholt. The Bears’ defense racked up steals quickly in the first quarter, and snuck the ball to Watkins for him to score.
Both teams could feel anticipation with a delay on a five-meter call, but Watkins was able to guide the ball comfortably past the Knights’ goalie’s outstretched hands. With a steady 3-1 lead, the Bears were fueled with energy and confidence for the second quarter, which pumped up senior Kieran Narayan to swiftly win the second sprint.
The second quarter was a shooting extravaganza for the Bears, with skip shots spraying left and right and even some power shots blasting right at the Knights’ goalie’s hands. The Bears’ defense grew more anxious to get Hillsdale away from their cage, resulting in several five on six plays. Nevertheless, the Bears were able to defend the Knights’ shots, and only one managed to make it inside the cage.
With a five-meter call halfway through an exhausting second quarter for Hillsdale, senior goalkeeper Arman Azadpour was able to cover every side of the goal. Cheers erupted from the stands, and the extra boost of confidence for the Bears left the Knights frustrated, giving space for several five-meter shots for senior Armin Loftman and Watkins. M-A entered halftime leading 8-2.
After the Knights snatched the ball in the third quarter sprint, the intensity in the pool skyrocketed. The beginning of the quarter started with a tense goal for the Bears, leaving the score 9-3. Several counterattacks by Hillsdale were halted by M-A, but the Knights still took advantage of multiple ejection opportunities to get a few goals past the Bears.
Halfway through the third quarter, Watkins attempted to “run a sigma” play with the team but was unsuccessful. A five-meter shot into the left corner by Narayan and a crossbar shot from the Knights concluded the quarter with Hillsdale closing in on M-A’s 10-6 lead.
In the final quarter, the scoreboard lit up as Narayan won the last sprint. Within a few minutes, Watkins threw a power shot at the crossbar, but was able to rebound and score to extend the Bears’ lead.
Senior Drew Wescott and Watkins had several quick passes across the pool that resulted in several more goals, keeping the crowd’s eyes bouncing from player to player. Encouraged by his teammates from the bench, sophomore goalkeeper Michael Poirier courageously kept a sprinting Knight from sneaking the ball past him in a one-on-one battle.
Hillsdale made it difficult for M-A by catching up to the Bears halfway through the last quarter 11-8. Tensions rose as the Knights tried relentlessly for a comeback, but the Bears stayed focused and scored once more.
One last goal by Watkins off an assist from freshman Brady Hendricks left the Bears with a decisive 14-10 victory. “Yesterday we worked on high pressing and our defense, and that was the defense we were able to run today,” Hendricks, whose two steals contributed to the Bears’ domination, said.
“The games have been forming the roots of how we’re going to play for the rest of the league games, and overall it’s pretty successful,” Loftman said.
