The Dos Pueblos High School boys varsity water polo team has had a record season so far. With a league record of 7-1 and an overall record of 23-5, the boys said they are ready to take on the Division 1 CIF Championships.
“It’s been eight or nine years since we won a Channel League championship, so I’m feeling pretty optimistic about what the teams can accomplish,” head coach Chris Parrish said. “I’m really excited about this senior leadership that we have, and the influx of some younger players on the team right now.”
Ty Abel (10), a center defender on the team, said DPHS water polo demonstrates strong teamwork and leadership, and they hope to bring that to CIF.
“I like the camaraderie, we’re all part of the team,” Abel said. “Versus some of the other teams get really angry at each other when they mess up, but I feel like generally on our team, they’re pretty chill with you.”
To Channing Wigo (9), it’s clear that his team understands mistakes are inevitable, and they take the time to analyze and learn from them.
“If you make a mistake, they just say, ‘Don’t sweat it,’ and then you move on,” Wigo said.
According to Parrish, it’s the team’s chemistry that carried them through league games—and what he hopes will continue to propel them forward as he prepares them for their first CIF game against San Clemente.
“We’ve got some game film we’re gonna go over, make sure we key in on their better players … and hopefully we’re just gonna prepare ourselves to be ready and perform well on Friday,” Parrish said.
Going into this matchup, Abel said the Chargers are feeling confident, and they are not afraid to dive in headfirst.
“I think we got the first game, but the second game is against Buena, who we just previously lost to,” Abel said.
In the final league matchup of the season, the Chargers played the Buena High School Bulldogs. The game was tied until the fourth quarter, when Buena scored two goals and the Chargers only managed one, resulting in a 9-8 Bulldog win. However, despite the loss, DPHS was still crowned Channel League Champions due to their 7-1 league record.
Max Gelman (9) said the chargers will need confidence in themselves and the team when going against Buena next–and he believes that a good pep talk will help them out.
“I think we’re gonna go into the game with a fair amount of confidence, but not being overconfident,” Parrish said. “We know it’s going to be a difficult game.”
The Chargers will open their first CIF game on Friday, Oct. 31, at 5:00 p.m. at home, where they hope to extend their dominant season and begin the climb up the CIF ladder.
