BHS wins local water polo tournament as area teams showcase continued improvement
Aug. 24—Although just starting its third full season as a sport offered by the Kern High School District, area public schools are beginning to make waves in the water polo arena.
The development was on display this past weekend when several of the area's best teams competed in the first Frontier Tournament at the KHSD Aquatic Complex.
Bakersfield High captured the inaugural title, defeating Stockdale 12-3 in the final, bringing to a close two days of action that served as much of a celebration as a competition.
"The tournament was fun because all the coaches have developed a really close relationship," Drillers coach Mark Brewer said. "It's a community of coaches who really want to help grow this thing. We're all out there to compete, but we're also up there to help and support each other. So that was really fun to see."
BHS senior Jack Merickel led the way for his scoring 28 goals and dropping off five assists to help the Drillers go 5-0 in the tournament, with victories over Ridgeview, Frontier, Bakersfield Christian and Highland to reach the final. Bakersfield outscored its opponents 73-21 in the tournament.
"It's a great start (to the season)," said Brewer, who won the South Yosemite Valley League title last year before losing 18-17 in double overtime to Visalia-Golden West in the Central Section Division III playoff opener. "We're just kind of picking up where we left off in terms of just ways kids are willing to work, and playing together as a team. It's just fun to see."
In addition to Merickel, BHS received strong all-around performances from a variety of players, most notably senior Nicolas Lira and senior goalie Jermey Hall, who allowed just two goals in the tournament.
"It's just encouraging," Brewer said. "Everyone just feels like the hard work we're putting in ... like we're getting stronger and stronger to where we can now go out of town and compete at a high level."
The team's improvement did not happen overnight. Brewer said it's been a progression each year for all the team's in the area as players learn the necessary skills of the sport.
"The first season you have to teach them what a water polo ball is," said Brewer, who is planning on hosting a JV tournament next month to help grow the sport in Kern County. "So getting swimmers in the pool ... just getting in the pool and throwing a ball into a net is what a lot of people see as water polo, but there's so much more and it's just such a complex game.
You have to teach them the basics and because of that, your conditioning takes a hit."
But with each year, Brewer and other area coaches have been able to introduce more as the learning curve among players continues to climb.
"Now after a couple years, there's younger kids coming up that come in with a foundation of water polo skills," Brewer said. "So now I can focus a little more on conditioning.
"So the benefit of this being our third year is, they're learning the skills. They're coming up and we can have a good balance between conditioning and working on skills. It's going to keep coming with time."
