Agoura Blows Royal’s 66-Match League Winning Streak Out of Water : Water polo: Chargers hold off Highlanders at the finish, 12-11.
It was one of those rare times when people show up expecting to see history and they actually do.
Agoura High held off a furious rally and beat Royal, 12-11, in a Marmonte League water polo match Friday at Agoura, thrilling the crowd of about 250 who came hoping to see Agoura snap the Highlanders’ 66-match league winning streak.
“Our team never gets any credit,” said Agoura’s Chris Driscoll, who scored seven goals. “It’s always Royal, Royal, Royal. But it’s not just Royal anymore.”
The Highlanders, whose 13-year title reign remains intact for now, had not lost a league match since 1986.
But water polo observers might have been able to circle Friday on their calendars months ago and predict that was when the streak would end. Royal, short on experience, lost to a strong Agoura team in a summer league match. Even Royal Coach Steve Snyder said Agoura was the league favorite at the start of the season.
And when Agoura (12-3, 2-0 in league play) beat Royal, 16-7, in a San Luis Obispo tournament match last Saturday, it seemed to be just a portend.
“Saturday seemed to soften the reality,” Snyder said. “I found out we are still going to live the next day (after a loss). . . .
“You can’t win forever.”
Still, the streak died hard.
Although Agoura led by at least three goals for most of the match, taking leads of 11-7 and 12-9 in the fourth quarter, Royal (7-9, 0-1) stepped up its attack at the end.
Bill Bruininga, who scored seven goals for the Highlanders, had three in the fourth quarter. His goal with 41 seconds to play and Zack Finley’s with 18 seconds left pulled Royal to within one goal.
But Agoura was able to hang onto the ball and kill the clock, setting off a celebration.
“I’m still shaking,” Agoura Coach Jason Rosenthal said 15 minutes after the match.
Bruininga gave the Chargers credit.
“We tried our best in the third and fourth quarters,” he said. “They came out and beat us.”