BY KYLEIGH SPRIGLE
The boys’ and girls’ water polo teams drove to Miami to face new competition in the Marcos Santos Invitational tournament. The water polo teams participated in the tournament on February 28 and 29. The boys’ team won two games and lost two. The girls’ team won one game and lost the other three.
The boys’ team started off the tournament with a win against Miami Country Day School (MCD). The team scored quickly and kept their lead, making the game’s final score 17-6.
“We played in the tournament to have fun,” hole set Ryley Edmunds said. “For the younger players, it’s a good experience to play [against] harder teams. For the older kids, it is just good old-fashioned fun.”
The Cowboys scored four times in the first quarter. MCD was not able to score against the Cowboys’ defense. Early on in the second quarter, Cooper City continued to score. The score was 7-0 before MCD got to score. MCD scored three times in a row. The quarter ended with a score of 7-3.
The first point of the second half was made by MCD. Cooper City fired right back, making five goals in a row. To end the third quarter, MCD made one. The score going into the fourth quarter was 12-5.
“I did good but I would say Nick Gomez is better than me. He is like three times the player I am.”
The Cowboys had a significant lead but they never stopped putting pressure. Four goals in a row were made before MCD could manage one more. The final point of the game was made by Cooper City, ending it 17-6.
“I think the team will do amazing,” left-wing and driver Alex Licht said. “We are well-prepared and we are hungry.”
The boys’ team lost their second game by only one point. The 19-18 game was against Venice Beach. They lost their game against Alonzo and Tracy Mourning Senior High School (ATM) 11-2. The final game they played was against Coral Gables High School and ended in an 18-3 win.
The girls’ first game was a close 6-4 loss against MCD. The second game was a big upset with the Cowboys losing 17-1. The third game also ended in a loss, 11-2 against ATM. During the final game of the tournament, the team pulled an 18-3 win against Coral Gables High School.
“I think we will do very excellent, excellent, extremely excellent, astutely excellent,” hole defense or left driver Bryce Pritchett said. “I did good but I would say Nick Gomez is better than me. He is like three times the player I am.”
Photo by Sydney Katz
