Sacred Heart Prep, Gunn boys win NorCal water polo openers

Jack Vort scored three of his game-high five goals in the first period and Sacred Heart Prep opened the NorCal Division I Championships with an 18-3 victory over Valley Christian on Tuesday.

Hassan Hove added three goals for top-seeded SHP (26-3), which hosts No. 4 Campolindo at 5 p.m. Thursday. Campolindo beat Bellarmine, 12-10.

In another match, Menlo School’s second-half rally just fell short in a 17-16 loss to No. 2 De La Salle. Greg Hilderbrand, who is headed to UC Santa Barbara next fall, scored six of his seven goals in the second half.

De La Salle beat Menlo 16-12 earlier in the season.

“I was just so impressed by both the improvement of this team and also the heart they showed,” Menlo coach Jack Bowen said. “To be down like that against the NCS Champion and come back to a single goal was just so impressive. And it just being a 1-goal game is a demonstration of the work and the heart this group of young men put in all season.”

Tommy Kiesling scored three goals for Menlo. Jack Murad added a goal and three assists. Cormac Mulloy had five saves in the first half. Finn Byrne added two in the second half.

“To start the season, our chemistry was off and we really learned how to play together and trust each other,” Murad said. “Tonight showed that. I feel like this is a reflection of how we grew as a team.”

Meanwhile, Sacred Heart Prep scored seven goals in the first period, with Will Swart, Gavin West, Luke Weigle and Jake Tsotadze each adding a goal.

Griff Price recorded eight saves in the first half. Orlando Hernandez Alvarado had six saves in the second half.

Sacred Heart Prep defeated Campolindo earlier in the season.

Division III

Cole Vale scored 10 goals and Wolfgang Edholm added six and top-seeded Gunn beat Atascedero 22-15 on Tuesday.

The Titans (19-9) remain at home to take on Lodi (19-10) at 6:15 p.m. Thursday. No. 5 Lodi beat Kingsburg 15-14.

By Rick Eymer

By Rick Eymer

By Rick Eymer

By Rick Eymer