PREP WATER POLO ROUNDUP : San Clemente Wins in Overtime Despite Pre-Game Bus Accident

The San Clemente water polo team got off to a bumpy start even before its 7-5 overtime victory over Foothill.

En route to the game, a backhoe fell from a tractor-trailer and into the path of the team bus.

Nobody was injured in the accident, which involved five other vehicles and left the Tritons stranded on the freeway for more than an hour.

“I was real worried about the bus accident when we got here, the guys were just kind of walking around like zombies,” Coach Steve Yancey said after the match. “In 14 years (of coaching), I’ve never had that happen.”

The second-ranked Tritons (1-0) didn’t show any frayed nerves early, jumping to a 2-0 lead in the first minute on two goals by junior Jim Farley.

However, Foothill’s Brian Brown skipped a shot under goalkeeper Gabe Gardner’s arm and Jeff Pflueger scored on a pass from Scott Hay to even the match after the first quarter.

The fourth-ranked Knights took their only lead in the second quarter when Plueger stole a ball in the San Clemente end that eventually turned into an Adam Metzger goal, giving Foothill a 3-2 halftime lead.

However, the Tritons scored three consecutive goals in the third quarter, including the third and fourth for Farley, giving them a 5-3 cushion.

Brown’s goal pulled the Knights to within one to open the fourth and Hay sent the game into overtime when he beat Gardner up high with 2:04 left.

The overtime belonged to San Clemente as Andy Bailey scored in the opening minute on a lob from deep and freshman Jordan Hewko added his second goal with 1:11 remaining.