Royal, Looking Like No. 1, Swamps Crescenta Valley

Prior to his team’s water polo match against Royal High on Thursday, Crescenta Valley Coach Pete Loporchio became concerned as he scanned the Highlander roster.

“They have too many weapons,” he said.

He was right.

Kris Kunkel, Bill Bruininga, Zack Finley and Chris Richeson each scored four goals as Royal defeated the Falcons, 19-13, at the Rancho Simi Community Park pool in a nonleague playoff primer between two teams with rather easy league schedules.

The Highlanders (19-4), top-ranked in Southern Section Division IV, used a potent transition offense and a tough physical defense to keep the Falcons (20-3) off balance for the entire game.

“That’s our game,” Royal Coach Steve Snyder said. “We are the best at it and one of the most-balanced teams around.”

The Falcons, ranked fifth in Division III, managed to stay within three goals through the first three periods, but six different Highlanders scored on a 6-3 run at the start of the fourth quarter to put the match away.

Royal scored the first goal of the match when Bruininga broke free and passed off to Kunkel for an easy two-on-one breakaway goal. The Highlanders did not trail thereafter.

Kunkel also stepped it up on defense, using his size and strength to hold Joey Bennett, the Falcons’ leading scorer, in check at the two-meter hole.

“[He] rose to the occasion,” said Snyder.

Bennett, who is not at 100% after suffering a hyperextended left elbow two weeks ago, still scored five goals to lead the Falcons. But he missed four close-in shots and had the ball stolen from him several times near the goal.

“The loss doesn’t really mean a whole lot,” Loporchio said. “We really had nothing to lose. They’re are a No. 1-ranked team and we’re No. 5.”