Bear Polo Downs Choate in Triple OT

Battling in triple overtime, Big Red’s boys varsity water polo triumphed this weekend against Choate Rosemary Hall in a heated and close game that ended 16-15. Both teams fought until the very end. Well matched in skill and strength, the two teams were neck and neck throughout the entire game. Triumphing after such an intense and narrow game, the boys are satisfied with their performance. The win brings the team up to a 5-3 record for the season.

In the past few games, the boys suffered from a lack of conditioning and stamina. In the game against Choate, however, the boys rallied from beginning to end. The boys are especially proud of their persistence in the game. Despite the difficult game, they kept up their morale and intensity. “It was a hard game, the team really rallied came together and played good water polo,” senior and co-captain Ernesto Brown said.

The boys ended the first quarter leading 4-2. However, Choate quickly caught up by halftime and tied the game 6-6. By then, according to upper Liam Oakley, many of the starters were exhausted and several had fouled out of the game. However, the team did not lose hope. The game was in their sight, and the Big Red boys were not going to let it go so easily to a few obstacles.

“Ernesto Brown, [lower] Jackson Parrell and [lower] Jamie Cassidy all had three ejections and  were out of the game. The second line really stepped up and maintained the intensity all the way until the end,” Oakley said.

“The ball hit the crossbar and dropped barely behind the goal line. Next thing I know, my teammates are on top of me.”

Upper John Wang echoed Oakley’s comments. Despite fatigue, the team’s mental strength pushed them to keep fighting. “The team was visibly fatigued after a lot of counter-attacking, but everyone kept pushing through and mustered up enough energy in the end to get the win.”

By the sound of the whistle, the teams were in a stalemate, tied 15-15. Into the first and second overtimes, still neither team budged. Finally, in the third overtime, Big Red scored. Upper John Wang won the game with an impressive bar down shot all the way out from the 12 meter. Many on the team described the point and the entire game as “surreal.”

After fighting for so long, the boys could finally feel that the hard work paid off. The team could not have been more pumped about the win. Wang reflected on the winning point. “On the final play, I swam the ball up and my defender was sluffed off of me, taking away the passing lane, so I decided to shoot. The ball hit the crossbar and dropped barely behind the goal line. Next thing I know, my teammates are on top of me,” Wang said.

The team hopes to capitalize off the energy from this week’s win to begin a streak of wins to the season. In practice, the boys will be working on their defense as well as conditioning as usual. Bear polo will be bringing what they worked on this week to their next home game against St. John’s Prep on Wednesday Oct. 14 and the big upcoming Greenwich tournament on Saturday Oct. 17.