Boys’ water polo makes late-season turnaround, looks forward toward next year

Senior Keon Nikfar looks to shoot during the game against Wilcox on Oct. 3.

After a disappointing start to the season, the boys won three of their last four games to end with a 5-10 record.

Though the Falcons were unable to repeat last year’s success in placing first in the El Camino league, they saw tremendous improvement over the season, overcoming their early losses with victories near the end of the league season.

After adjusting to their new coach, class of ‘22 alumnus Kendal Jarvis, the team ended their season with a 12-11 home loss against Monta Vista on Oct. 20 and a win against Cupertino on Oct. 18, resulting in a 5-10 record. They placed 6th in the league.

After a strong senior-led team graduated last spring, this year’s team is composed of mainly sophomores and juniors lacking in water polo experience. The biggest challenge is that their ball awareness and game sense are not as developed as many of the other teams in the league. Even so, senior captain and lead scorer Keon Nikfar thinks there were many games they should have won.

“Results have been disappointing for the team as many of our games were against opponents who were not as good as us. We just could not execute throughout the game,” Nikfar said.

With a small roster of 10 players, veterans like Nikfar and senior left wing Eli Tsives not only had to condition themselves to play for longer minutes, but also had to help coach the newcomers.

“I think most of us were really out of shape coming out of summer break, and none of us had played much water polo since last year,” senior captain Keon Nikfar said.

However, with steady progression throughout the season, the boys were able to win three of the last four games they played. Many of the players became more oriented with the game and developed the endurance needed to win. The whole team better understood each other both in and out of the water and they started to run more plays both defensively and offensively.

“After our first win against Cupertino, we realized what we were able to achieve by coming together as a team,” Nikfar said. “We executed our plays and it worked, it definitely gave us more confidence in ourselves and the team.”

While the season had many setbacks, they learned from each loss, helping them improve future games. For now, the Falcons look forward to their league tournament from Oct. 24 to Oct. 26. Team parent Greg Bunker is set to replace Jarvis after he leaves for Navy Boot Camp on Oct. 24.

While the team had its ups and downs throughout the season, Nikfar feels the team was always there for each other, bringing each other together and keeping their morale optimistic.

“We had a really rough season, but I am optimistic about the team,” Nikfar said. “After I graduate, I am confident the team can be in a winning position for next season.”