Carpinteria High boys water polo dominated on both ends of the pool en route to a 16-6 win over West Torrance in the CIF-SS Div. 4 playoff opener on Thursday in Carpinteria.
Carpinteria will now host Aquinas in the second round on Tuesday after winning Thursday’s battle of the Warriors.
Ryder Shaw got Carpinteria out to a strong start with two early goals, while Chris Reed also scored in the first to take a 3-1 lead into the second quarter.
West Torrance battled back in the second, cutting the deficit down to 4-3 by halftime. Cade McCallister scored Carpinteria’s lone goal of the second, while Stefano Picoletti had three steals and two blocks.
The third quarter was a back-and-forth affair before Carpinteria blew the game open in the fourth with a dominant 6-0 run. Junius Fedders was at the center of the strong defensive showing with five steals.
“The boys really complemented each other today and crafted a well-oiled offense,” Carpinteria High head coach Russell Russo said. “Everyone’s energy was up, and they played with a lot of heart. I couldn’t be prouder of how they stepped up early in the game.”
Picoletti ended the day with 10 blocks, while Carpinteria High totaled 27 perimeter steals in the win.
Crescenta Valley 11, Cate 10
The Rams dropped a tight battle on the road with Crescenta Valley to end their season in the first round of the CIF-SS Div. 2 playoffs on Thursday.
Warren 9, Santa Barbara High 8
The Dons narrowly fell to Warren High in their CIF-SS Div. 4 playoff opener on Thursday in Downey.
Santa Barbara High led 6-3 at halftime, but Warren exploded out of the break with a 5-0 run to take a lead into the fourth quarter.
The two teams exchanged blows down the stretch, with Santa Barbara’s Mason Walsh scoring a game-tying goal with 30 seconds left.
However, Warren came back down and scored with five seconds on the clock to secure the victory.
Jack Fulbeck did a little bit of everything for the Dons with four goals, three steals and two assists. Paolo Borgioli had a strong all-around performance as well with two goals, three assists and four exclusions earned.
Santa Barbara goalie Charlie Gray anchored the defensive effort with 10 saves, including several from point-blank range.
Cate water polo has not provided information.
