PREP PLAYOFF ROUNDUP : Servite Gets the Jump on El Rancho in Division II Water Polo

Servite jumped out to a 7-1 lead after the first quarter and never looked back, beating Pico Rivera El Rancho, 17-7, in the first round of the Division II water polo playoffs at Servite High School.

The Friars’ fast-break offense worked to perfection, leading to seven first-half goals and 10 overall.

The game wasn’t as close as the score indicated. The Friars (20-8) led 17-2 after three quarters, before their second- and third-string players took over for the final six minutes, allowing five goals.

Servite’s Jerry Smith began the scoring for the Friars, hitting the back of the goal twice in the first two minutes. Brian Heifferon added two more, and Rob Mattivi completed the scoring with three seconds left in the quarter, increasing the lead to 7-1.

Servite remained strong in the second quarter, as Heifferon and Mattivi each added two more goals, and the Friars’ defense tightened up even more, shutting out El Rancho, increasing their lead to 11-1 at halftime.

Goalie Sasha Obaid sparked the Friars in the second half, recording three saves, including one on a penalty shot. Backup Dan Carreon continued the pace, recording three more before the third quarter ended.

The Friars’ offense kept rolling in the second half, behind goals by Mattivi, Dan Inglish, Bill Howard, and three by Smith, the last coming with only 13 seconds left in the quarter.

Smith finished with a game-high five goals, followed by four each from Mattivi and Heifferon. Friars’ goalie Sasha Obaid recorded six saves in a little more than two quarters, and backups Dan Carreon and Sean McNeeley each recorded one.

The Friars will face Bell Gardens, a 14-9 first-round winner over Cypress, on Friday.