When it comes to men's water polo, the Orange Empire Conference is more accurately color-coded in green and gold. Those are the shades donned by Golden West College, which produced the latest example of its perennial conference dominance by trouncing second-place Orange Coast, 16-4, in a game that wasn't that close.
The Rustlers (17-0, 4-0 in conference), clinched at least a share of yet another regular-season conference crown by stifling the Pirates (14-7, 2-1), who could not manage a goal from the field until just less than four minutes remained in the 32-minute contest on Wednesday at Golden West.
A penalty shot in the first minute of the second period was all the offense the Pirates could muster until freshman Parker Evans converted an assist from sophomore Gavin Scott with 3:53 left in the game.
That goal made it 14-2, a lead the Rustlers built with maniacal defense and unselfish ease at the offensive end
Golden West, which has won its three conference games (not counting a forfeit from Santa Ana), by a combined margin of 56-10, scored in its regular sets, on the power play and with the counterattack. The Rustlers used goals by 11 players to overwhelm the visitors.
"It was a little tough," said OCC Coach Adam Lee, whose team has dropped three straight. "We have some work we need to do."
Conversely, Golden West Coach Scott Taylor was thoroughly pleased with the play of his team, which will close OEC play on Wednesday at Riverside (an 8-7 loser to OCC earlier this season), after the Rustlers play host to their tournament Friday and Saturday.
"I was happy with our defense," Taylor said of a unit that did not allow the Pirates to convert their first 15 shots from the field, by which time OCC had amassed 22 of its 23 turnovers. "We came out with a defensive mindset. The last couple games, we've finally broken through on the importance of playing good one-on-one defense and good team defense."
Freshmen attackers Rowan Farrell and James Smith each had three goals, while freshman Peter Lovas added two for the winners.
Sophomore Ariel Levi scored twice for OCC, for which sophomore Kevin Dayan opened the scoring by converting a penalty shot.
Sophomores Holt Fundament, Carlo Silvestre and team captain Alessandro Valania added to the Golden West goal barrage.
Freshmen Matheus Santos, Lachlan Trabinger, James Brennan, Jacob Thompson and Alex Nathan also found the net, despite some heroic saves by OCC goalie Alex Furlong.
Furlong, whom Lee believes is among the top goalies in the state, and who had helped OCC lead the state in total saves heading into this week, made 10 saves. He stopped shots on one-on-one opportunities and others from point-blank range, as Rustlers repeatedly found open water.
According to online conference archives that date only back to the 2011 season, Golden West is 31-0 against Orange Empire foes, though Taylor said he was unaware — more accurately unconcerned — with such history.
"Honestly I don't know," Taylor said when asked about the last time the Rustlers, who own an unprecedented 23 state titles, including five of the last eight and three of the last five, absorbed a conference defeat. "I just worry about each year and getting these guys to play the best they can, so I don't look at all that. I just want to see how good we can be at the end of the season."
Golden West freshmen goalies Josip Pezer and Sid Dymond collected five and two saves, respectively, with Dymond playing the second half in relief.
Lovas has a team-best 39 goals for the Rustlers, for whom Smith is second with 32.
But individual recognition, like losing, is something Taylor works to avoid.
"Today was a little bit of everybody contributing, which is what we try to have everyone buy into," Taylor said. "We always talk about the team as a group and not individuals."
Story written by Barry Faulkner, Daily Pilot
