Flintridge Prep water polo’s Sean King tabbed Prep League MVP
Flintridge Prep’s Sean King shoots against Sonora in a CIF Southern Section Division IV, first-round playoff water polo match at Pasadena Polytechnic School on Thursday, Nov. 12, 2015. King was named the Prep League’s most valuable player.
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Sean King came into the season determined to help the Flintridge Prep boys’ water polo team win a second consecutive Prep League championship.
For the Rebels to achieve that, King figued he would need to up his game.
Things came together nicely for King, who finished with 70 goals and 105 steals en route to being named the league’s most valuable player for the first time as voted on by the league’s six coaches.
“I was able to grow more as a player and my teammates helped me quite a lot,” said King, a four-year varsity athlete who also contributed 44 assists and 22 blocks for Flintridge Prep (19-6, 10-0 in league). “I capitalized in a lot of different situations.
“I always wanted and dreamed about winning a league MVP. I’m just glad I could help the team win league again.”
Flintridge Prep had three other players named to the first team and two selected to the second team. Flintridge Prep won back-to-back league championships for the first time since 1983 and 1984. The Rebels advanced to the CIF Southern Section Division IV quarterfinals before falling to top-seeded Righetti, which won its second CIF title in a row.
Flintridge Prep Coach Dan Hare said King, who also earned a spot on the first team, brought stability and was a bona fide goal-scoring threat each match.
“He’s a totally unselfish player who wasn’t flashy,” Hare said. “He just went out there and did so many things well during the times we needed him to.
“If you needed a big goal from him, he would get it. He improved tremendously on defense. We looked to him to get the job done.”
Kasen Barraclaugh, Scott Fordham and Greg Walsh of Flintridge Prep were tabbed to the first team
Barraclaugh, a sophomore driver, collected 63 goals, 54 steals and 30 assists. Fordham, a junior hole/set, finished with 54 goals, 57 steals and 33 blocks. Walsh, a senior goalkeeper, registered a school-record 315 saves and added 41 steals and 23 assists.
“Kasen had the speed to sneak up on people and moved well without the ball while also turning into an excellent passer,” Hare said. “Scott was a big, lumbering defender who came into every practice and game completely prepared.
“Greg didn’t disappoint because he was making about 10-12 saves a game.”
Evan Havunjian and Alexander Maletis were picked to the second team.
Havunjian, a junior utility, finished with 43 goals and 36 steals. Maletis, a senior hole/guard, contributed 19 steals.
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Charles Rich, charles.rich@latimes.com
Twitter: @TCNCharlesRich
