Hoover boys’ water polo drives past Burroughs

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Hoover’s goalie Henry Pruett makes one of many stops against Burroughs in a Pacific League boys’ water polo match at Hoover High School on Tuesday, October 9, 2018. (Tim Berger / Staff Photograperh)

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Hoover’s Hayk Nazaryan leans to the side right in front of the Burroughs goal to score in a Pacific League boys’ water polo match at Hoover High School on Tuesday, October 9, 2018. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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Burroughs’ goalie David Rosales takes a hard shot by Hoover off of his chest to make a save in a Pacific League boys’ water polo match at Hoover High School on Tuesday, October 9, 2018. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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Burroughs’ Chase Legoretta shoots against Hoover in a Pacific League boys’ water polo match at Hoover High School on Tuesday, October 9, 2018. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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Hoover’s Keon Khosravi shoots against Burroughs in a Pacific League boys’ water polo match at Hoover High School on Tuesday, October 9, 2018. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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Hoover’s Hakop Ansuryan defends against a pass by Burroughs’ Nathan Gault-Crabb in a Pacific League boys’ water polo match at Hoover High School on Tuesday, October 9, 2018. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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Hoover’s David Ashkharian winds up to shoot, then moves around Burroughs’ Xavier Turla to shoot an easier goal and score in a Pacific League boys’ water polo match at Hoover High School on Tuesday, October 9, 2018. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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Burroughs’ head coach Jacob Cook watches his team fall behind early in the first quarter against Hoover in a Pacific League boys’ water polo match at Hoover High School on Tuesday, October 9, 2018. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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Hoover’s head coach Kevin Witt talks to his team between quarters in the game against Hoover in a Pacific League boys’ water polo match at Hoover High School on Tuesday, October 9, 2018. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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Burroughs’ Xavier Turla looks and shoots against Hoover’s Jordan Corpuz in a Pacific League boys’ water polo match at Hoover High School on Tuesday, October 9, 2018. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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Burroughs’ Vahagn Sahakyan battles past Hoover’s Hakop Ansuryan in front of the Hoover goal in a Pacific League boys’ water polo match at Hoover High School on Tuesday, October 9, 2018. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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Hoover’s Hayk Nazaryan steals the ball from Burroughs’ Vahagn Sahakyan in the second quarter in a Pacific League boys’ water polo match at Hoover High School on Tuesday, October 9, 2018. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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Burroughs’ Chase Legoretta shoots against Hoover in a Pacific League boys’ water polo match at Hoover High School on Tuesday, October 9, 2018. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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Burroughs’ Vahagn Sahakyan retreats with the ball as Hoover’s David Ashkharian persists on defense in a Pacific League boys’ water polo match at Hoover High School on Tuesday, October 9, 2018. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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Hoover’s goalie Henry Pruett makes a stop on a Burroughs shot in a Pacific League boys’ water polo match at Hoover High School on Tuesday, October 9, 2018. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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Hoover’s David Ashkharian reaches to nearly touch the ball away from Burroughs’ Tobey Ho ho protects the ball to pass in a Pacific League boys’ water polo match at Hoover High School on Tuesday, October 9, 2018. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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Hoover’s Hayk Nazaryan, in front of the Burroughs goal with Burroughs’ Vahagn Sahakyan approaching, shoots and scores in a Pacific League boys’ water polo match at Hoover High School on Tuesday, October 9, 2018. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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Burroughs’ Chet Conlan lines up a shot as Hoover’s Jordan Corpuz approaches to defend in a Pacific League boys’ water polo match at Hoover High School on Tuesday, October 9, 2018. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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Burroughs’ Vahagn Sahakyan leans back to catch a deep pass to him in front of the Hoover goal to turn and score in a Pacific League boys’ water polo match at Hoover High School on Tuesday, October 9, 2018. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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Burroughs’ Chase Legoretta looks to shoot as Hoover’s Samvel Manukyan hits his arm to deflect the shot in a Pacific League boys’ water polo match at Hoover High School on Tuesday, October 9, 2018. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

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After Hoover’s Jordan Corpuz, on a breakaway where he was alone in front of the Burroughs goal, shoots high and misses the goal entirely, the Hoover bench reacts with laughter and disbelief in a Pacific League boys’ water polo match at Hoover High School on Tuesday, October 9, 2018. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)

By Charles Rich

Oct. 9, 2018 5:35 PM PT

GLENDALE — Backed by a relentless surge on offense, the Hoover High boys’ water polo team has maintained its grip on first place in the Pacific League.

It’s a spot the Tornadoes don’t want to lose a handle on entering the homestretch in league.

Hungry to win a second league championship in three seasons, Hoover received a match-high seven goals from David Ashkharian on Tuesday to roll to a 20-9 league home victory against Burroughs.

Hoover (13-7, 5-0 in league) scored 17 first-half goals to turn aside Burroughs (8-8, 1-3). Burroughs won the league title last season, beating Hoover in the championship match in the league tournament.

“We came in before the game thinking how bad we want to win league again after Burroughs got it last year,” Ashkharian said. “We did a lot of good things today, like moving the ball fast and getting some goals off counter-attacks.

“It’s a really big thing if we can win league again. We just wanted to come out and dominate and we did that in the first half.”

Hoover, tied for first with Glendale, held an 8-2 lead after the first quarter and extended its lead to 17-4 at halftime against an inexperienced Burroughs squad.

Ashkharian, a reigning All-Area pick last season, scored four first-quarter goals. His third goal gave the Tornadoes a 5-0 lead with three minutes to go in the quarter.

“We’re always trying to do well and we want to build on it,” Hoover coach Kevin Witt said. “The guys are motivated to be in the position they are in and they haven’t forgotten about what happened last year [against Burroughs].

“We started the game wanting to push the pace and create some one-on-one opportunities. They did that by coming out well.”

The Tornadoes got four goals from Jordan Corpuz, three from Hakop Ansuryan and two each from Samvel Manukyan, Armando Honarchian and Hayk Nazaryan.

Hoover peppered Burroughs goalkeeper David Rosales, who finished with 13 saves.

Burroughs had no response trying to counter by Hoover, which got 12 saves from goalkeeper Henry Pruett..

“We were just getting killed with their passing and counter-attacks,” said Burroughs coach Jacob Cook, who led the Indians to a CIF championship in 2016. “Hoover has got a very good team and a good group of players.

“It’s a building year and we have a lot of young players. We’re just looking to gain more experience and we’ll learn from failure. We have to find a way to endure and fight.”

Chase Legoretta and Vahagn Sahakyan paced the Indians with three goals apiece. Burroughs also got one goal each from Xavier Turla, Nathan Gault-Crabb and Tobey Ho.

charles.rich @latimes.com

Twitter: @TCNCharlesRich