Four score boys’ water polo bids
Four local boys’ water polo squads were awarded postseason berths Saturday morning when the CIF Southern Section office released its playoff pairings.
Pacific League runner-up Hoover, third-place Crescenta Valley and fifth-place Glendale earned bids along with Prep League champion Flintridge Prep as the postseason gets underway Tuesday.
All first-round contests are scheduled for 5 p.m. and can only be changed by agreement from both schools.
Crescenta Valley earned the area’s lone seeding as the Falcons (21-6) are No. 4 in Division IV and open Tuesday afternoon versus Palm Desert Xavier Prep (17-9), the Desert Valley League runner-up.
The contest will take place at the Palm Desert Aquatic Center at 3 p.m.
“I thought about that, ‘Why on earth are we traveling?’” Sankonju said. “This is actually something that I had discussed with other coaches before and it might work out.
“There are a lot of mismatches in that first round, so it might be better to travel and get a home game in the second round.”
The Falcons and Saints have not met this season, though, both are newcomers to Division IV.
Crescenta Valley dropped two divisions, while Xavier Prep moved up two divisions a year after losing the Division VI title game, 9-8, to Eleanor Roosevelt High.
Last season, the Falcons were eliminated in the first round of the Division II playoffs, 16-7, at Long Beach Wilson.
A victory would vault Crescenta Valley into Thursday’s second round against Laguna Hills (13-10) or Anaheim Canyon (12-16).
Only one squad begins at home – sort of – and that’s Prep League champion Flintridge Prep.
The Rebels (14-9), ranked No. 7 in Division V, will host PAC-8 League Atascadero (14-12) on Tuesday, likely at Pasadena Poly, though a venue has not been confirmed.
It doesn’t matter what division Flintridge Prep gets moved into, the Rebels always seem to lock horns with the PAC-8 League.
Tuesday’s match marks the fourth consecutive year the Rebels have opened the playoffs versus a PAC-8 League foe and the squad is 1-2.
Flintridge Prep defeated the PAC-8’s San Luis Obispo, 14-11, in the Division IV first round last season before falling to Sherman Oaks Notre Dame, 18-10, in the second round.
At one point this season, Flintridge Prep was top-ranked in the division but the squad enters the postseason ice cold, having dropped seven straight matches, including a 10-9 thriller at Chadwick on Wednesday.
A Rebels’ victory would advance the squad to Thursday’s second round versus Alta Loma (25-5) or Arcadia (14-10).
There’s general enthusiasm at Glendale High as the Nitros are back in the postseason for the first time in three seasons in year No. 3 under coach Narek Vardanian.
“We’re really excited to be making it to the playoffs and it’s a first time for me,” Vardanian said. “We’re also excited with the opportunity.”
Glendale (13-7) opens the Division VI playoffs on Tuesday at Claremont Webb (12-13) at 3:15 p.m.
The Nitros head in with some momentum as only one of two teams (along with Burroughs) to complete a 2-0 run through the Pacific League Tournament.
A victory would send the Nitros into Thursday’s second round versus Oxnard (9-18) or Camarillo (12-7).
The only squad guaranteed advancement to Thursday is Pacific League runner-up Hoover, which is in the 16-team Division II playoff bracket.
The Tornadoes (13-7) will travel to Marmonte League runner-up Agoura (14-11), the division’s No. 3 seed, for the first round.
“I’m good with our seeding because we haven’t played many ranked teams in Division I or II,” Hoover coach Kevin Witt said. “We know we’ll be facing a good Agoura team with an excellent coach and it’s going to be a challenge.”
Last year, a historic season for the Tornadoes in which they won their first league title since 1989, included a 12-8 victory over Dos Pueblos in the Division II first round.
Hoover was defeated, 13-11, in the second round by Laguna Beach.
The Tornadoes enter the postseason having lost the Pacific League Tournament championship game to Burroughs, 6-5, at Arcadia High on Thursday.
A victory moves the Tornadoes into Saturday’s quarterfinals versus Mira Costa (20-7) or Ventura (16-4).
