COMMUNITY COLLEGE WATER POLO : Golden West Beats West Valley for Fourth State Title in a Row

Goalie Brandon Douglas and driver Shroder Baker, who scored four goals, led No. 1-ranked Golden West to its fourth consecutive State water polo championship with a 13-7 victory over West Valley Saturday at Belmont Plaza.

“It was a matter of getting our chemistry together,” Golden West Coach Ken Hamdorf said. Golden West (33-2) won both meetings between the teams this season, 8-6, and 9-8. Saturday’s victory over the No. 2-ranked Vikings (30-4) was the 200th in Hamdorf’s career; he has lost only 29 matches in seven seasons at Golden West.

Douglas (17 saves) said he was inspired by Hamdorf’s pregame pep talk: “He said we were like a young colt that had the talent to be a great race horse but had the tendency to come out of the blocks too fast. We finished just right this time.”

Golden West took a 4-1 lead during the first quarter.

In the second quarter, Baker had two unassisted goals. Two-meter man Kurt Bowman scored with 4 minutes left in the first quarter and with 6:28 left in the fourth.

Trailing, 7-3, at the half, West Valley’s Steve Ouchi scored with 6:38 left in the third quarter. But Golden West scored four consecutive goals to take an 11-4 lead.

Golden West defeated fourth-ranked Long Beach, 10-7, Saturday in the semifinals.