Boys water polo: How good can El Toro become?
September 14th, 2009, 7:01 pm · 4 Comments · posted by DAN ALBANO, ocvarsity.com
It is time to get back to OCVarsity.com's in-depth look at the county's top-ranked boys water polo teams for 2009.
The third-ranked team is no stranger to big-time competition.
Six-time CIF champion El Toro appears ready to contend again this fall, but how good can the Chargers become?
No. 3 El Toro
League: Sea View
Division: I
Coach: Don Stoll (29th season)
2008 highlights: Captured Masters; posted a 33-3 record; won South Coast and Villa Park tournaments
Outlook: The Chargers spent most of last season with the proverbial bull's eye on their back in Division I.
They opened 2008 by winning their first 23 matches before losing to Miramonte in the finals the North-South Challenge in late October. A week and a half later, El Toro was stunned at home by Foothill for the Sea View League title. The Chargers lost to Foothill again in a Division I final they badly wanted.
With the graduation of stars Griffin White (UCLA) and goalie Tommy O'Connell (Pepperdine), the Chargers aren't carrying the favorite status into this season - that goes to Newport Harbor.
The Chargers return senior utility Nick Rascon, a member of the U.S. junior team pictured right, and talented junior center Russell Renteria. After that, the Chargers feature some of the best young talent in the county.
There's sophomore goalie Garrett Danner - whom El Toro coach Don Stoll says could turn out to be the best in school history - and utility Joey Colton, arguably the best freshman in the county. Sophomores Joey Fuentes and James Rude and junior Kyle Norheim are other players to watch.
El Toro's up-and-comers have plenty of water polo experience. The key for the Chargers will be how quickly they learn to flourish in the high school game.
If El Toro's young talent comes along and Rascon and Renteria have big seasons, the Chargers could emerge as one of most improved teams come the Division I playoffs. And with Stoll's track record for winning games, that could make El Toro a serious threat to pull an upset or two late in the season.
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FYI, Stoll goes for career victory No. 600 on Tuesday against visiting Riverside Poly.
It will be interesting if they do well this year. I predict a semifinal visit in D1 cif. Just toooooo many egos on this team for them to be able to pull together
If the argument includes Jon Walters of Newport Harbor as an incoming freshman, then Colton is not the best incoming freshman. Newport is deep and Colton will probably see more playing time than Walters however. Would love to see these two freshman go head to head.
Need to agree with wpobserver - Walters is a outstanding utility player. Colton is a talented player who will do well with other talented players around him. Walters seems to have one thing above the other. The ability to carry a program in the future.