Image courtesy of Celeste Carmona

The boys varsity water polo team cheers after winning the title of Golden West League Champions.

On October 26, Varsity Boys Water Polo defeated Ocean View 12-11 in a suspenseful game, going into double overtime. This was a tight matchup, as they faced each other in a previous match with Segerstrom coming out on top, 11-6. As both teams have been improving their skills, they both brought everything they had to the table.

By the end of the first half, the Jaguars were down by 5, the score being 7-2. They had to come back in the third quarter if they had any chance of winning the championship.

“In the first half of the game, I felt really nervous and my heart began to sink as the opposing team kept scoring on us. Although we were down, I kept my motivation up because I knew my team understood what they were doing, and the energy on the deck kept me really uplifted,” said varsity player Sean Brown (11).

Doing just that, the Jaguars came back, ending the 4th quarter with the score tied at 10-10. Tensions were very high at that point, leaving everyone on the edge of their seats. The athletes knew that this was their moment to shine and showcase all of their training from this season.

Varsity player Christopher Esparza (11) shares the confidence he had in himself and his team to come out on top due to their perseverance. “I was confident that we were going to come out on top during the fourth quarter because I knew we weren’t going to give up that easily,” he said.

After two eventful three-minute halves of overtime, the score was still tied, now at 11-11, meaning the two teams would go into double overtime. Now, the rules were sudden death, meaning whichever team made the first shot would win it all. After two possessions, Sean Brown made the winning shot, ending the game with a score of 12-11 after seven quarters.

Brown shares the feelings that came over him after making the shot to end the game. “After scoring the winning goal it felt like a huge weight came off my whole body. It was a really long and intense game. I was shocked in the moment and I felt amazing.”

After becoming champions, the Jaguars felt immense pride in themselves and the hard work they put in to make it this far. Family and friends in the stands were cheering, taking pictures, and hugging each other while the players were celebrating in the pool. The coaches were so excited that they jumped into the pool fully clothed.

“We celebrated after the game with the team jumping back in the pool with our coaches, and taking pictures with family and friends,” adds Esparza.

Now that they are league champions, the Jaguars are heading into CIF with a statement. They are set to play Lakeside on October 31, in hopes of continuing their 3-game winning streak.