Davis men’s water polo lost to Ripon
PHOTO: Senior Harald Tollerup finds his chance and prepares to shoot.
By Krisztian Anderson
BlueDevilHUB.com Staff–
In a very competitive match, Ripon High School pulled off a 13-10 victory over Davis High’s men’s varsity water polo team Sept. 20. Despite a strong effort from the Blue Devils, early Ripon dominance and self-inflicted errors kept Davis from completing the comeback.
Ripon started fast, scoring four quick goals before Davis managed to get on the board three minutes in. By the end of the first quarter, Ripon led 5-2, and despite Davis responding, Ripon’s defense remained tight.
“We played alright. Could have been better,” senior Alex Erickson said. “I was hoping for a win, but you know, can’t win ‘em all.
“We’re working more as a team, flowing better than Wednesday,” Erickson said.
Ripon extended its lead to 7-2 in the second quarter before senior Harald Tollerup scored to make it 7-3. Junior Shuzhi Zheng delivered key saves to keep the Blue Devils within reach. Tollerup and Erickson added goals before the half, making it 7-5.
“We knew coming in it was going to be competitive. Our biggest issue was how many times we self-destructed,” coach Tracy Stapleton said. “You can’t fumble deep in your own territory and give it away like we did.”
Davis fought hard in the second half, narrowing the score in the fourth quarter. But Ripon held firm, securing a 13-10 win. “Right now, there’s only one way, and that is up. We need to stop making costly mistakes,” Stapleton said.
