San Marino High School’s Boys Varsity Water Polo team participated in the San Diego Valhalla Tournament over the weekend. The two-day event, held in San Diego, California, saw the team depart on Friday, compete on Saturday, and return home that same evening.
Nathan Chan, 12, Nathan Chan, 10, and Diego Garcia, 12, were the MVP’s of the whole tournament. Both scored around more than 20 goals throughout their five games played. Jerry Wang, 9, and Tristian Wong, 12, had the best defense all round the tournament: they both got a bunch of steals and turnovers for the other team. Additionally, Tristian Wong and Diego Garcia had the most assists during the tournament. Jonathan Zhang, 12, had a very steady and good performance scoring an average of one goal per game. Keon Mai, a former JV player who had moved up to varsity for the tournament, got crucial minutes during the game against Point Loma High School.
The team placed 4th overall out of 22 participating schools, finishing the tournament with a 2-3 record. They faced one Division 1 team and four Division 2 teams, with their best match being against Classical Academy. In their final game, which determined the 3rd-place position, San Marino led 7-5 at halftime but ultimately lost 11-13. Senior, Tristian Wong noted the team’s mental state during the final match, sharing, “We had already given up mentally and just wanted to go home.” Despite strong efforts, the team fell just short of winning a medal. Freshman Jerry Wang reflected on the challenges, saying, “They were both tough teams. We should have kept our offense strong and not concentrated on the score.” Fellow freshman Alex Walker mentioned, “I helped the team out by handing out water!”
Despite the tough competition, the tournament showcased the team’s resilience and determination.
