Playoff loss to San Pasqual ends Warrior boys water polo season

Fallbrook High School’s boys water polo team ended its 2012 season Nov. 7 with a first-round CIF Division I playoff loss against San Pasqual at The Wave in Vista.

The Golden Eagles advanced to the quarterfinals with an 11-4 victory at Fallbrook’s expense. “We definitely didn’t play our best game,” said Fallbrook coach Bill Richardson.

“We had our opportunities. We missed 34 shots,” Richardson said. “They did a great job capitalizing on all their opportunities.”

The score was tied at two goals apiece after the first period, but Fallbrook didn’t score again until the fourth quarter. “The harder we tried the worse it got,” Richardson said.

The loss finalized Fallbrook’s season record at 14-16, including a 2-3 mark in Avocado West League play which gave the Warriors fourth place in the league standings. “Anytime you don’t win more than you lose, it’s disappointing, but we had to be realistic,” Richardson said.

The Avocado West League included the two top-seeded Division I playoff teams, Vista and Carlsbad, who would play each other in the finals. Rancho Buena Vista, which placed third in the league, was seeded fifth in Division I. La Costa Canyon finished fifth in the Avocado West League; the Mavericks were the sixth seed in the Division II playoffs. “Definitely the toughest league in the county,” Richardson said.

Fallbrook only returned one varsity starter from the 2011 season. “We’re happy to get fourth in that league,” Richardson said. “We were hoping for maybe third.”

Fallbrook was given the ninth seed in the CIF Division I playoffs. “It was a fair seeding,” Richardson said.

San Pasqual received the eighth seed.

This year’s Fallbrook team had six seniors, including four starters. The Warriors’ other three starters are sophomores. “I think next year’s still going to be a growing year, but we definitely have a pretty strong underclass and the future’s pretty bright,” Richardson said. “We didn’t have a lot of experience coming in this year, and we do have some good experience going into next year.”