Early Surge Propels Royal to 52nd League Win in Row

The Agoura High water polo team would like to forget the last three minutes of the first quarter of its Marmonte League showdown Wednesday against host Royal.

But the final score, a 10-5 loss to the Highlanders (19-1, 4-0 in league play), served to remind Agoura that its early lapse indeed occurred. Royal, ranked No. 3 in the Southern Section Division II coaches’ poll, outscored the Chargers, 5-1, during that first-quarter flurry en route to its 52nd straight league win.

Andy Bruininga scored two goals and Luke Frazier added a goal, an assist and a steal to spark the barrage.

“That’s been the pattern all year,” Royal Coach Steve Snyder said. “We have peaks and valleys. We score in bunches.”

Said Agoura Coach Jason Rosenthal: “In that stretch, the kids were not aggressive. If you let (the Highlanders) get into their pace of play, it’s real tough to stop them.”

Agoura (9-10, 4-1) played virtually even with Royal the rest of the way. Chris Sendejas and Terry Polapink scored in the third quarter to cut the gap to 7-4, but Royal retaliated with a goal from Jeremy Pickles and two more by Frazier.

Although the Highlanders’ attack sputtered at times, there was no letdown on the defensive end. Royal held Polapink, Ventura County’s third-leading scorer, to three goals.

Polapink’s third goal was his 79th of the season, breaking the Agoura record he set last season.

Agoura goalie Steve Cox made 16 saves to keep the game close. Royal’s Jack Kocur, the No. 2 scorer in Ventura County, managed two goals and one assist.