On Saturday, November 23rd, Costa’s boy water polo won the CIF Socal Regionals against Carlsbad. After losing in the CIF-SS finals, Costa went on to turn the tables in their varsity tournament, taking home a D2 regional title.
“It felt really amazing”, junior and varsity captain Flynn Guenther says. “It wasn’t easy but I think we all realized we needed this win and everyone put in 110% effort.”
After a tough battle against Westlake high school with a four-time overtime streak, Costa accepted its defeat for the regional division 1 title. However, the team bounced back with multiple wins against both Brea Olinda (13-6) and La Costa Canyon (19-6), seating them first in division 2.
“ It was definitely a bummer not being seated in the first division because everyone at the time had worked so hard to get there”, senior Deacon Lesser says. “But it was awesome to be able to take home a title.”
Costa started off strong against Carlsbad with a 3-point lead by half time. The key to their success, according to varsity boys coach Jon Reichardt, was varsity goalie Grant Anderson and the team’s defensive strategies.
“ Our pressure defense and our goalie was super important in our game”, says Reichardt. “Grant did a good job for us, blocking important shots but really our team’s defense as a whole kept us in the lead.”
However, in the fourth quarter, Carlsbad picked up their game, scoring four goals against the Mustangs and aiming to settle the score.
“That was definitely nerve-racking for all of us”, Guenther says. “Having a decent lead for the majority of the game and then to cut it that close in only 7 minutes. The pressure was definitely on.”
But after a tireless fight against Carlsbad, the Mustangs came through with a 12-9 win, securing the regional title for Costa. Their hard work and endurance throughout the season was vital for Costa’s success but even after an especially long season, the Mustangs were able to end it with a big win.
“It was a great season. A really long one actually, about four months, but you know the boys worked really hard and even though there were some losses, it was a great run.”
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