Foothill-Villa Park: Game of Century

In what has become the county’s oldest league rivalry in boys’ water polo, Villa Park will host Foothill today to determine the Century League championship.

Almost every season since 1973, these teams’ meeting has settled the league title.

Foothill, ranked second in the county, leads the series, which includes tournament games, 20-15. But Villa Park, ranked sixth, ended a six-game losing streak to the Knights last season with a 10-9 overtime victory.

“It was a fitting end to John Ehrlich’s coaching career at Villa Park,” first-year Spartan Coach John Carcich said. “We were the underdogs going into the game, but emotions were high. The kids were pumped. It was just a very fun game.”

Jim Brumm, in his 12th year as Foothill coach, said each game of this 26-year-old rivalry is special.

“The 1995 game really stands out for me,” Brumm said. “That year, Foothill was ranked No. 1 and Villa Park No. 2. We beat them for the league title, and then we met again in the Southern Section finals and beat them again.”

Brumm said it doesn’t matter how many times his teams play Villa Park, he still gets nervous.

“I’ve been trying to get the kids focused on the game,” Brumm said. “It’s always a big crowd with lots of alumni watching. It’s important not only for the league [title] but the [playoff] seedings.”

Former Villa Park standout Gary Larson tries to attend the game whenever he can.

“I can only compare it to a USC-UCLA game,” Larson said. “It’s a very intense game. When I played, a lot of the players on both teams knew each other, since most of them grew up playing or swimming together in club. But even though we were friends, when the game started, it was all business.”

Larson, who said Villa Park won in both his junior and senior years, played for the Spartans from 1987 to 1990. He went on to play water polo at USC alongside Neal Brockmeier, who also played for the Spartans.

“It’s a huge game all around,” said Brockmeier, who graduated from Villa Park in 1989. “I don’t think there are too many teams that get to experience such a great rivalry.”

Larson, who played with future U.S. Olympian Gavin Arroyo, remembered one Foothill-Villa Park game in particular.

“Gavin had a severe eye infection,” Larson said, “so there was all this speculation on whether he would play or not. But he wore goggles and played. There was no way he was not going to play that game.”

Today’s game starts at 3:45 p.m.

MARKSTRUM SETS RECORD

Troy senior Ian Markstrum set a school single-season scoring record Wednesday when he scored eight goals in the Warriors’ 15-10 Freeway League victory over Fullerton.

Markstrum, who also holds the school’s career record with 270 goals, has 131 goals this season. The old mark was 129.

Markstrum, a left-handed shooter who plays the two-meter position, also excels on defense, with 60 steals for the season.

Markstrum also wrestles and plays baseball for the Warriors.

PLAYOFFS BEGIN

The Southern Section boys’ playoffs begin Tuesday with the wild-card round. First-round play in Divisions I, III and V begins Thursday, with Divisions II, IV and VI on Nov. 12.

Pairings and sites will be announced Monday.

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Southern Section Polls

BOYS’ WATER POLO

Division I--1. Long Beach Wilson, 2. Newport Harbor, 3. Foothill, 4. El Toro, 5. North Hollywood Harvard Westlake, 6. San Clemente, 7. Villa Park, 8. Irvine, 9. Los Angeles Loyola, 10. Aliso Niguel.

Division II--1. Servite 2. Corona del Mar, 3. Los Alamitos, 4. Laguna Beach, 5. Saddleback, 6. La Habra, 7. Buena Park, 8. Esperanza, 9. University, 10. El Dorado.

Division VI--1. Rowland Heights Rowland, 2. La Verne Bonita, 3. Chino Hills Ayala; 4. Palos Verdes Chadwick, 5. Brea Olinda, 6. Los Altos, 7. La Verne Damien, 8. Western, 9. Cerritos, 10. Cerritos Gahr.