SD Prep Sports: Boys Water Polo
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Doors of opportunity opening for Mariners
By Phillip Brents
Posted Sept. 3, 2002
The Mar Vista High School boys water polo team did not taste victory last year until its final game of the season, defeating a depleted Hilltop squad, 19-7, for fifth place in the annual Metro Conference tournament.
Chip Case, in his first year at the Mariners’ helm, admitted his share of frustration but at the same time knew what was in store for an extremely young and rebuilding team. Case is now entering his second year as head coach and the prospects are much brighter for this year’s squad.
"There’s a lot more focus — it’s a lot easier. There are a lot more players who are on the same page than was the case last year because of all the different pages we were on," Case said. "Though it’s still a challenge to get guys from different sports and draft them together. Hopefully, we can jell together."
After a year of taking its lumps, Mar Vista suddenly finds itself with nine seniors and six juniors, including one four-year performer, four three-year players and 12 two-year lettermen. The team is coming off a successful summer training with the Imperial Beach Water Polo Club during which it collected a few more key recruits.
Leading the Mariners’ sizable senior contingent are Joe Czerwiec, Andrew Allen, Shawn Johnson, Brandon Keshka, Josh Madigan, John Thero, Sean Gill, Victor Townsend and Daniel Rumsey. Allen, who earned the coach’s award last year for his pure passion for the game, will be playing his fourth season of water polo and will be the team’s utility man while Czerwiec — the winner of last year’s Best Offensive award — will be playing his third season. He capped last season with seven goals in the win against Hilltop. Johnson earned the team’s Most Valuable Player award his rookie season in 2001 and comes to the water after stints on the gridiron and volleyball court. Another rookie last season (this time from the baseball diamond) who grew into the game, Keshka brings size (6-1, 170 pounds) to the two-meter defensive position while Madigan and Rumsey were components of the Mariners’ South Bay League champion swim team. Thero, should he commit to play, is among the team’s fastest swimmers and scored six goals in Mar Vista’s lone win in 2001.
Case expects Czerwiec, who swam the 100 butterfly and 50 freestyle sprint during the spring swim season (advancing to CIF in the fly event), to be a force in the middle as a two-meter offensive set with his speed and ball-handling skills while the MV helmsman said Johnson should also help solidify the two-meter offensive set position.
"Shawn progressed extremely well for a first-year player. His size, strength, work ethic and continuing thirst for knowledge of the game will be a great asset at the two-meter offensive end," Case said of Johnson.
Noah Stamm and goalie Eric Grieble, whom Case lists both at 6-0 and 160 pounds, are the standouts among the team’s juniors. Stamm — yet another pick off the baseball field — splits his time with the school’s basketball team and it’s his shooting ability that has fueled Case’s optimistic expectations for the team. Grieble is entering his third year in the pool and his second between the cage. His blocking ability earned him the team’s Best Defensive award last season.
At one point this summer, the netting in the goal area nearly needed to be replaced because of Stamm’s shooting prowess.
"Noah has the hardest shot on the team and it’s getting more accurate each day," Case said.
Rounding out the team’s junior class are Pablo Picazo, Matt Sanford, Eric Cornwall and Carlos Espinosa. The team’s sophomore talent includes Scott Knox, Julian Czerwiec, Max Craig, Kyle Stogsdall and Adel Jabbar — all solid performers on last year’s junior varsity team — along with tri-sport athlete Mike Nicoloff (football, wrestling, volleyball) and newcomer Mike Hedgecock. The younger Czerwiec was the JV team’s MVP last year and was a force in the 200 individual medley and 100 backstroke during the swim season while Craig possess a strong outside shot. A collection of freshmen bolster the team’s future.
The 2002 schedule, which includes non-league games against Ramona, West Hills, El Cajon Valley, Steele Canyon and Mt. Miguel besides entry in the Poway and San Diego Open invitational tournaments, promises to be a challenging one — but one to which the Mariners are anxiously looking forward.
"If we can stay focused and do all the right things, I really think we can be more competitive. I’d really like for us to make the second round in the Metro tournament whether it's the first or third place game. If they keep learning as they did last year, we’ll improve even more," Case said. "We have a lot of guys who are still opening doors of opportunity for themselves."
The Mariners host Ramona on Wednesday, Sept. 11, at 3:30 p.m. to officially open the season and then compete in the Poway Invitational, drawing Granite Hills on Thursday, Sept. 19, in their first pool game at 3:50 p.m. at Montgomery Middle School in El Cajon
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Mar Vista High School
Men’s Water Polo 2002 Schedule
Day |
Date |
Time |
Opponent |
Pool |
Wednesday |
9-11-02 |
3:30 PM |
Ramona |
Mar Vista High School |
Thursday |
9-19-02 |
3:50 PM |
Granite Hills (Poway Invite) |
Montgomery Middle School (El Cajon) |
Fri. & Sat. |
9- 20 & 21 -02 |
TBA |
TBA (Poway Invite) |
TBA |
Thursday |
9-26-02 |
3:00 PM |
Eastlake |
Loma Verde Pool |
Wednesday |
10-02-02 |
3:30 PM |
West Hills |
Santana High School |
Saturday |
10-05-02 |
9:00 AM |
Steele Canyon & El Cajon Valley |
El Cajon Valley High School |
Tuesday |
10-08-02 |
3:00 PM |
Chula Vista |
Parkway Pool |
Thursday |
10-10-02 |
3:00 PM |
Southwest |
Mar Vista High School |
Saturday |
10-12-02 |
5:00 PM |
Mt. Miguel |
Mar Vista High School |
Tuesday |
10-15-02 |
3:00 PM |
Montgomery |
Loma Verde Pool |
Wednesday |
10-16-02 |
3:00 PM |
Bonita Vista |
Southwestern College |
*Thurs – Sat. |
10-17 thru 10-19 |
TBA |
SD Open JV |
TBA |
Mon. – Sat |
10-21 thru 10-26 |
TBA |
SD Open Varsity |
TBA |
Tuesday |
10-29-02 |
3:00 PM |
Hilltop |
Mar Vista High School |
Wed. – Sat. |
11-06 thru 11-09 |
TBA |
Metro League Tourney |
Southwestern College |
Home Games
Metro League Games
* Junior Varsity only
Head Coach: Chip Case 285-1258 home; 459-9278 cell
[email protected]Principal: Dr. Phipps 628-3074
Principal (ASB): M. Perrault 628-3074
Athletic Director: P. O’neill 628-3074
Pool Facilitator: Sue Czerwiec 628-3066