Flintridge Prep polo outlasts Sonora for first-round playoff win

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Flintridge Prep’s Scott Fordham battles but the ball is knocked from his hand right in front of the goal by the defense of Sonora’s Mark Ramirez and Trevor McCall in a CIF Southern Section Division IV first round playoff water polo match at Pasadena Polytechnic School on Thursday, November 12, 2015. Flintridge Prep won the match 11-10. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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Flintridge Prep’s goalie Greg Walsh stops a point blank shot by Sonora Ben Blevin-Boor in the fourth quarter in a CIF Southern Section Division IV first round playoff water polo match at Pasadena Polytechnic School on Thursday, November 12, 2015. Flintridge Prep won the match 11-10. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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Flintridge Prep’s Ian Tien celebrates scoring in the fourth quarter against Sonora in a CIF Southern Section Division IV first round playoff water polo match at Pasadena Polytechnic School on Thursday, November 12, 2015. Flintridge Prep won the match 11-10. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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Flintridge Prep’s Aiden Schraeder pumps his fist after denying a shot by Sonora late in the fourth quarter in a CIF Southern Section Division IV first round playoff water polo match at Pasadena Polytechnic School on Thursday, November 12, 2015. Flintridge Prep won the match 11-10. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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Flintridge Prep’s head coach Dan Hare lifts his arms high after winning the match against Sonora in a CIF Southern Section Division IV first round playoff water polo match at Pasadena Polytechnic School on Thursday, November 12, 2015. Flintridge Prep won the match 11-10. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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Flintridge Prep’s goalie Greg Walsh gets his fingers on the ball to deflect it from the goal after a shot by Sonora in a CIF Southern Section Division IV first round playoff water polo match at Pasadena Polytechnic School on Thursday, November 12, 2015. Flintridge Prep won the match 11-10. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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Flintridge Prep’s head coach Dan Hare, during a timeout, works to pump up his team, leading by two goals, late in the fourth quarter against Sonora in a CIF Southern Section Division IV first round playoff water polo match at Pasadena Polytechnic School on Thursday, November 12, 2015. Flintridge Prep won the match 11-10. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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Flintridge Prep’s Ian Tien protects the ball against the defense of Sonora’s Mark Ramirez in a CIF Southern Section Division IV first round playoff water polo match at Pasadena Polytechnic School on Thursday, November 12, 2015. Flintridge Prep won the match 11-10. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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Flintridge Prep’s Sean King shoots against Sonora in a CIF Southern Section Division IV first round playoff water polo match at Pasadena Polytechnic School on Thursday, November 12, 2015. Flintridge Prep won the match 11-10. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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Flintridge Prep’s Sean King shoots in the third quarter against Sonora in a CIF Southern Section Division IV first round playoff water polo match at Pasadena Polytechnic School on Thursday, November 12, 2015. Flintridge Prep won the match 11-10. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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Flintridge Prep’s Ian Tien shoots and scores against Sonora in a CIF Southern Section Division IV first round playoff water polo match at Pasadena Polytechnic School on Thursday, November 12, 2015. Flintridge Prep won the match 11-10. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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Flintridge Prep’s Evan Havunjian reacts after scoring a third quarter goal against Sonora in a CIF Southern Section Division IV first round playoff water polo match at Pasadena Polytechnic School on Thursday, November 12, 2015. Flintridge Prep won the match 11-10. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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Flintridge Prep’s goalie Greg Walsh blocks a second quarter shot by Sonora in a CIF Southern Section Division IV first round playoff water polo match at Pasadena Polytechnic School on Thursday, November 12, 2015. Flintridge Prep won the match 11-10. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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Flintridge Prep’s defense sets up a blinding wall to block the shot of Sonora’s Conrad Napier in a CIF Southern Section Division IV first round playoff water polo match at Pasadena Polytechnic School on Thursday, November 12, 2015. Flintridge Prep won the match 11-10. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

By Jeff Tully

Nov. 12, 2015 7:58 PM PT

PASADENA — Since taking over the Flintridge Prep boys’ water polo program in 2010, Rebels Coach Dan Hare has orchestrated a steady upswing in the program.

In his first season the Rebels competed in CIF Southern Section Division VI, then moved up to Division V and now reside in Division IV.

Flintridge Prep looked to earn its first postseason victory in Division IV since moving up prior to the 2014 season when it hosted Sonora in a first-round contest Thursday.

Behind a solid defensive effort late in the match, the Rebels were able to hold on to earn an 11-10 win against the Raiders at Pasadena Poly, earning a spot in Saturday’s quarterfinals.

“This win is the first victory we have ever had in Division IV,” Hare said. “This is an historic win for us in this division, as we’ve moved up in divisions over the years. This has just been an historic year for this team and our program and I give these guys a great deal of credit.

“This is just another feather in our caps. I’m a history teacher so I like those historical moments.”

The Rebels (18-5) keep their year going in the postseason after a successful regular season. Flintridge Prep won its second straight Prep League championship for the first time since 1983 and went 10-0 in league for the first time since 1979.

Flintridge Prep will try to keep rolling when it takes part in the quarterfinals Saturday. The Rebels will face top-seeded Righetti, the defending division champion at Pasadena Poly at 2 p.m.

In its playoff opener, Flintridge Prep had its hands full with Sonora (19-10), which placed second in the Freeway League. The Rebels put themselves in a good position when they went up, 11-9, with 1:56 remaining on a goal by Evan Havunjian (three goals). But the Raiders came right back and on their next possession to make it a one-goal contest on a tally from Conrad Napier.

When Flintridge Prep committed a turnover on its ensuing possession, Sonora got the ball back with 1:06 left on the clock. But a field block by the Rebels put the ball in the hands of Rebels goalkeeper Greg Walsh (11 blocks). The Rebels held the ball and dumped it deep in the Raiders’ end of the pool with 28 seconds remaining. Sonora worked the ball up for a final shot to tie the score, but turned the ball over with 13 seconds remaining. Flintridge Prep was able to then run the clock out.

Walsh came up with some big saves late in the game, including stuffing Napier on a point-blank shot in the fourth quarter.

“We just played together and played as a team and even when things get a little hairy, like in that fourth quarter, we can hunker down and play with composure,” said the Rebels’ Sean King, who had three goals. “Sonora is a great team, but we were just able to fight, stay with it and stay in it at the end.”

Scott Fordham added three goals and Kasen Barraclough and Ian Tien added a goal each for the Rebels.

The match was even early on, as the teams were knotted at 3 after the first quarter and tied at 5 at the half.

In the third quarter, Flintridge Prep outscored Sonora, 3-1, and headed into the final stanza with an 8-6 lead. In the third, the Raiders made good on their first shot of the quarter, but then came up empty on their next nine.

“It says a lot about our guys how they just brought it all together there at the end,” Hare said. “Our mantra all season has been team defense and it all starts with our goalie. I thought we did a good job at that today.”