With an impressive 8-3 record against non-league opponents, the boys water polo team is on pace for a breakout year this season. Last season, the team finished with an overall record of 11-12 and went 4-4 in the Prep League, landing them fourth place in the league. However, with seven returning seniors, the Panthers have both the experience and motivation to finish with a winning record this year.

Senior Jesse Benitez said, “The team has put in lots of hard work during the offseason, and we’ve had a lot of non-league games to prepare ourselves and strengthen our weaknesses. The Prep League is a very tough collective of schools, so we have to prepare and come back stronger every game.”

The team’s early success this season is indicative of their careful attention to improving specific parts of their game. Senior Malcolm Villaverde said, “We have to work on our transitions from offense to defense and vice versa. When we turn the ball over, it gives them a great opportunity to capitalize and score if we don’t act fast enough.”

The competition Poly will face in this year’s Prep League includes Chadwick, La Salle, Brentwood School, and Flintridge Prep.

The league opener against Brentwood promises to be a challenging test for the Panthers.

“We know Brentwood will be a tough matchup,” said Benitez. “We beat them twice last year, but just like we have, they most definitely have worked to improve during the off season. We still have a lot of players from last year, so the team’s chemistry is on point. Adding to that, everyone is really close at school and outside of the sport, so it makes it so much easier to work with each other in the pool.” In spite of their challenging schedule, the Poly community should expect the team’s strong work ethic to elevate them above the competition.