Vanguard shows heart but falls in Junior Olympics water polo final

IRVINE — Huntington Beach High boys water polo coach Sasa Branisavljevic believes the Oilers were the best team this past school year. “One hundred percent,” he says without hesitation.

But because of the pandemic, they didn’t get to really prove themselves. The virus wiped out the CIF-Southern Section playoffs.

The coronavirus, however, couldn’t take the players’ resolve.

Fast-forward four months, they took one of USA Water Polo’s biggest stages on Tuesday, July 20 for the boys 18-and-under final at the Junior Olympics.

Playing for Vanguard Aquatics and Branisavljevic, they faced top-seeded Contra Costa United Water Polo Club before a large crowd at the Woollett Aquatics Center.

And for more than half of the match, it appeared as if the Huntington Beach players might be able to call themselves JO champions. But CC United scored six consecutive goals during a six-minute stretch to rally for a 13-10 victory.

Boys water polo stats: Junior Olympics 18s final
CC United 4 3 3 3 – 13@VGWaterPolo (@HBHSAQUATICS) 5 3 1 1 – 10
Goals: (CCU) Indart 3, Thomas 2, Zamanian 2 (V) Crooks 4, Padua 2
Saves: Temkin (CCU) 11, Haddad (V) 10 @ocvarsity @USAWP

— Dan Albano (@ocvarsityguy) July 21, 2021

CC United surged by getting Register player of the year Chase Dodd in foul trouble, connecting on timely perimeter shots and finishing a counterattack for the ages.

With less than five minutes left in the fourth period, tournament MVP West Temkin made a thumping save in goal that sent the rebound nearly to midpool as an unexpected outlet for an open Brock Zamanian. He swam for the breakaway strike and a 13-9 lead.

The goal capped the 6-0 run for CC United, who swiftly erased Vanguard’s 9-7 lead with just over two minutes left in the third.

But despite the stinging loss, Branisavljevic recognized the determination of his players.

“That’s why I’m so proud of us,” he said. “We were able to just keep our heads down and retain motivation and look forward to this.”

The players’ resolve surfaced in multiple ways. Recent Huntington Beach High graduates Dodd, Ethan Crooks and Tyler Padua practiced with their college teams and Vanguard in the preparation for JOs.

The left-handed Crooks, who scored four goals in the final despite a sore shoulder, car-pooled with Dodd from UCLA while Padua arrived after similar rigors at UC Irvine.

“I care about this team a lot,” Crooks said. “I would do pretty much anything for them. So if it means going double days when I’m practicing college, I’m more than willing to do that. … I’ve known (my teammates) for almost 10 years now. If I left them out to dry, I would feel kind of bad about it. I love playing with them.

“I wouldn’t play with any other team if I could to do it again.”

Vanguard’s perseverance also showed in that some of its younger players competed in the final after helping Vanguard capture the 16-and-under title in the previous match.

Dodd’s brother, Ryder, and Zach Bettino – who will be a sophomore and junior at Huntington Beach in the fall – scored five and four goals, respectively, in an 11-8 victory against San Diego Shores. They were selected co-MVPs and then took on CC United.

Vanguard led by as many as three goals in the first half and 9-7 in the middle of the third after a slick connection between Chase Dodd and Padua. Dodd dropped a high entry pass into center for Padua, scored took the dry pass and shot low to beat Temkin with 3:51 left.

It was one of Vanguard’s best goals but CC United’s best was yet to come.

“We ran out of steam,” Branisavljevic said, “but we showed heart.”

Goalie Gabriel Haddad, who will be a senior at Huntington Beach this year, made 1- saves to duel Temkin (11 saves).

In the third-place match, Vanguard Red (Mater Dei) defeated L.A. Premier 6-3.

North Irvine Black edged 680 Red from Northern California 11-10 in the 14-and-under title. Vanguard’s 12s lost to Del Mar of San Diego 10-7 in the final.

The girls tournaments begin Thursday.

This post first appeared on ocregister.com

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