The Poly boys water polo team is a dominant force this year. Backed by multiple promising underclassmen and strong leadership from the seniors, the team has a 7-1 record, with its only loss being a close, competitive match against San Marino. This year, the team is ranked 27th in California, averaging 11.5 goals per game. After making it to CIF semi-finals last year, the team is motivated by the image of raising the CIF trophy this year. The team is led by senior captains Joe Benitez, Nick Otamura, Akhil Venuturupalli, and Danny Lara, whose leadership in and out of the water sets the determined tone for the team. Sophomore goalie Nick Grossi said, “As a sophomore, and even during freshman year, the seniors have taught me so much about water polo and niche techniques that improve my skill.” With a squad of influential seniors and multiple talented freshmen who have quickly adapted to varsity-level competition, the overall depth of the lineup is intimidating. The freshmen bring energy and enthusiasm to the table, as well as a promising future for the team. A freshman on varsity, Maynard Lee, said, “The team is welcoming and accepting. They promote excellence and always make me try my best.” The team recently played a heavily anticipated match against South Pasadena High School on Aug. 29. Right from the start, Poly established their dominance, taking an early lead by scoring six goals in the first quarter. Yet, the star of the show was their defense. Poly locked down the South Pasadena offense, keeping them scoreless until the third quarter, when they finally managed to eke out a goal. Poly won 12-2 in the end. However, one of the team’s most recent games on Saturday, Aug. 30, against Burbank High School proved to be far more competitive, testing Poly’s resilience and teamwork throughout all four quarters. The game was anxiety-inducing as Burbank struck initially with an early goal in the first quarter, but Poly was quick to strike back. The rest of the match ensued like this, with both teams striking at any opportunity. In the final seconds, the score was tied at 10-10. Thanks to a blocked shot by sophomore goalie Ajani Durham, Poly was able to win back the ball and pass it off to junior Kalyx Lara, who buried it in the back of the net with just two seconds to spare. Sophomore 4-5 side attacker Michael Patzakis said, “It seemed that in that crucial moment you could hear a pin drop.” The boys water polo team has had an incredibly successful first half of the season. As the team chemistry grows, the second half of their season looks even more promising than the first.

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Oliver Marks