Boys’ Water Polo Season Preview: La Cañada looks to balanced team for results
The La Cañada High boys’ water polo team did lose some key players to graduation.
However, the Spartans have their share of experienced athletes returning. With a couple of freshmen with experience added to the team, La Cañada has high hopes this season.
Things worked out quite well last season for Flintridge Prep last season. The Rebels won their fourth straight Prep League championship and reached the second round of the CIF Southern Section playoffs.
St. Francis, which began its program in 2015, showed some signs of improvement while competing in the rugged Mission League.
Here’s a closer look at the teams.
LA CAÑADA
Th Spartans have some stability with the return of coach Gil Millanes, who is in his second season.
“We do have some good players from our team back from last season,” Millanes said. “We also have a couple of freshmen who have some experience and played for Rose Bowl [Aquatics], so hopefully they are going to help us.
“They all have been working hard to improve and I think we should have a good team this year.”
The two freshmen who could step up and contribute right away are attackers Lucas Quion and Miles Peter.
“This should be a good group and I’m looking forward to seeing what they will be able to do,” Millanes said.
The team’s lone all-league returner is two-meter defender Colin Nicholls, who was a first-team selection in 2017.
Other key players include sophomore senior two-meter offense Jack Applebaum, senior attacker Vincent Wardle, senior attacker Robbie Louk and senior goalkeeper Reza Nadaf
Millanes said he expects tough competition in the Rio Hondo League.
“I expect that South Pasadena is going to be very good, maybe even better than last season,” he said. “But there are going to be other teams who are good in league as well. I’’m hoping that we’re going to be up there and compete with some of the better teams.”
FLINTRIDGE PREP
Andrew Phillips took over the coaching responsibilities last season and led the Rebels to an historic campaign. For the first time in program history, Flintridge Prep won its fourth straight Prep League championship. The Rebels then made it to the second round of the Division V playoffs before falling to Alta Loma.
Since then, the Rebels lost All-Area players Kasen Barracloiugh and Ian Tien to graduation and will turn to their next wave of talent to remain atop league.
There are plenty of players to put the Rebels in position to retain their grip of the Prep League, including senior driver Ryan Huntley, senior two-meter Ian Davies, senior goalkeeper Ben Brookbank and junior driver Hakop Kaplanyan.
“There’s no reason why we can’t compete for another league championship; that’s always one of the main goals,” Phillips said. “We lost some very good players, but we are not short on talent.
“We have a good group and we are young in some areas. We’ll make it a concept at the beginning of the season to grasp the fundamentals.”
Flintridge Prep will move to Division IV.
ST. FRANCIS
St. Francis continues to build as it enters its third season at the varsity level, all under coach Brady Lowdermilk. The Golden Knights were fifth in the Mission League last season and will remain in Division VI.
St. Francis doesn’t plan to be short on talent, bringing back its core. It given Lowdermilk reason for optimism.
“We’ve gotten guys who want to be here and put in the work to be successful individually and as a team,” Lowdermilk said. “It’s going to be a younger team.
“The practices have been much sharper and that’s a good step toward achieving success.”
The Golden Knights will field a lineup that includes senior attacker John Balog, senior utility MacLean Ireland and junior goalkeeper Cole Marston. They will be joined by sophomore hole/set Greg Camacho and sophomore driver Robert Alietti. Camacho finished with 31 goals in 2017 and received All-Area recognition.