MURRIETA — It was a another nail-biting finish for the Riverside Poly boys water polo team.
Rafael Martinez’s back-handed goal with 2:35 remaining on the clock proved the difference Wednesday night, as the Bears held on for a 9-8 victory over Murrieta Valley in a nonleague between two of the top Inland programs.
Riverside Poly’s Leo Davis #1 takes the ball from Murrieta Valley’s #10 Westen Diaz during the nonleague boys water polo match in Murrieta on Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2023. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Murrieta Valley’s #6 Andy McCrae shoots against Riverside Poly during the nonleague boys water polo match in Murrieta on Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2023. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Murrieta Valley’s #5 Titus Elliott scores as Riverside Poly players defend during the nonleague boys water polo match in Murrieta on Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2023. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Murrieta Valley’s #10 Westen Diaz tries to score past Riverside Poly’s Leo Davis #1 during the nonleague boys water polo match in Murrieta on Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2023. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Riverside Poly’s Leo Davis #1 stops the shot of Murrieta Valley’s #10 Westen Diaz during the nonleague boys water polo match in Murrieta on Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2023. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Murrieta Valley’s #4 Logan Fox defends Riverside Poly’s Diego Mercardo #12 during the nonleague boys water polo match in Murrieta on Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2023. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Murrieta Valley’s #1 Aidan Wilkins is unable to stop a Riverside Poly shot during the nonleague boys water polo match in Murrieta on Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2023. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Riverside Poly’s Rafael Martinez #9 and Riverside Poly’s Leo Davis #1 fight for the ball against Murrieta Valley’s #10 Westen Diaz during the nonleague boys water polo match in Murrieta on Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2023. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Murrieta Valley’s #1 Aidan Wilkins talks with a coach during halftime against Riverside Poly during the nonleague boys water polo match in Murrieta on Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2023. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Official Chris Belcher makes a call during the Murrieta Valley vs. Riverside Poly nonleague boys water polo match in Murrieta on Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2023. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Riverside Poly’s head coach Bill Grisham talks with his team during a timeout against Murrieta Valley during the nonleague boys water polo match in Murrieta on Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2023. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Riverside Poly’s Grayson Mosher #13 shots past Murrieta Valley’s #1 Aidan Wilkins during the nonleague boys water polo match in Murrieta on Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2023. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Murrieta Valley’s #5 Titus Elliott jumps into the pool to start the second half against Riverside Poly during the nonleague boys water polo match in Murrieta on Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2023. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Official Jon Grudy prepares tp start the second half of the Murrieta Valley vs Riverside Poly nonleague boys water polo match in Murrieta on Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2023. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Murrieta Valley’s #10 Westen Diaz fights for the ball against Riverside Poly’s Leo Davis #1 during the nonleague boys water polo match in Murrieta on Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2023. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Murrieta Valley’s #8 Jayden Rose during the nonleague boys water polo match in Murrieta on Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2023. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Murrieta Valley’s #10 fights for the ball against Riverside Poly during the nonleague boys water polo match in Murrieta on Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2023. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Riverside Poly’s head coach Bill Grisham during the nonleague boys water polo match in Murrieta on Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2023. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Murrieta Valley’s #7 Luke Requeo defends Riverside Poly’s Christian Prince #3 during the nonleague boys water polo match in Murrieta on Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2023. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Riverside Poly’s Rafael Martinez #9, right fights for the ball against Murrieta Valley during the nonleague boys water polo match in Murrieta on Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2023. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Riverside Poly goalie Leo Davis #1 races to stop a Murrieta Valley shot on goal during the nonleague boys water polo match in Murrieta on Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2023. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Murrieta Valley’s #4 Logan Fox shoots over Riverside Poly’s Miguel Buan #2 during the nonleague boys water polo match in Murrieta on Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2023. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Murrieta Valley’s Mateo Rivas #14 celebrates after scoring against Riverside Poly during the nonleague boys water polo match in Murrieta on Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2023. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Murrieta Valley’s Riverside Poly’s during the nonleague boys water polo match in Murrieta on Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2023. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
This was the second consecutive match Riverside Poly (3-0) squandered a comfortable lead and escaped at the finish. Friday, the Bears secured a 9-8 win after leading Los Osos 7-1 at halftime. Poly took an early 5-1 lead in Wednesday’s match.
“The kids don’t want to here this, but we need to work on our endurance,” Poly coach Bill Grisham said about the second-half struggles. “It’s only our third match of the season. I need another month to get that conditioning up to where it needs to be.”
Murrieta Valley (2-1) appeared to have scored an equalizer in the closing seconds of the match, but Luke Requeo’s shot to the top right corner of the cage was waved off because a teammate had clearly drifted inside the 2-meter marker without the ball.
“Our kids showed character to come back from a pretty big deficit and have a chance,” Nighthawks coach Bryan Lynton said.
Miguel Buan and Martinez each scored a pair of goals in the opening six minutes of the match to stake Poly to that quick 5-1 lead. The Bears scored on each of their first four power-play opportunities to gain the early advantage.
“We came out hot and showed how explosive we can be on offense,” Grisham said. “Then we started to make silly mistakes.”
Murrieta Valley held Poly scoreless the final 6 1/2 minutes of the first half and got back within 6-4 at halftime. Titus Elliott scored a match-high four goals to fuel the comeback, and the Nighthawks leveled the score at 8 when Mateo Rivas, a call-up from the junior varsity team, scored his lone goal with 50 seconds remaining in the third quarter.
Both teams dug their heels in defensively during the fourth period, leading to wild shots and a slew of turnovers.
Martinez broke the deadlock and secured his hat trick when he rifled the backhand shot into the top corner of the cage.
“They were giving me that 1-2 side. I knew if I could just find the corner it was going in,” Martinez said of his game-winning goal.
Poly goalkeeper Leo Davis blocked a shot moments later but nearly knocked the ball into the cage for a tying goal.
“That was wild. I’m glad I got to it in time,” said Davis, who finished with 11 saves, four of those coming in the final quarter.
After a rough third period, Poly’s defense finished strong and held Murrieta Valley scoreless over the final 7-plus minutes.
“It’s a young team, and we’re still finding our rhythm,” Martinez said. “We just need to string together four 7-minutes quarters.”
Murrieta Valley goalkeeper Aidan Wilkins finished the match with nine saves.
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