There was some doubt in the Varsity Water Polo Team before the season started this year. The team has lost both a reliable goalie in Cole Raulston and a superstar attacker in Cole Atwell, who is now playing Water Polo at Brown University. Both players contributed a lot, and many thought the team would never be as good as they once were.

Despite this, the team has stayed strong through the adversity and challenges they face. La Jolla High School is coming off a close 15-9 loss to Bishops, a competitive game thanks to sophomores Max Stone and Gavin Olson totaling 6 goals, and junior Alex Brown scoring 5. They are 2-1 in League Play, beating Canyon Crest Academy in their first game and losing the second game. The Vikings beat tough rival Coronado High School 16-11, led by senior captains Alex Sterzembach and Quin Ruminiski. Sterzembach and Ruminski have played Water Polo since freshman year, and are recognized as true leaders on the team. 

While neither senior is a main scorer on the team, both contribute with their leadership skills. They seem to have brought the team together, by creating a friendly and competitive atmosphere. Many of the younger players and second year players have stepped up, in particular; freshman Angel Villa, sophomores Max Stone and Gavin Olson, and juniors Alex Brown and Rhys Bugelli. When Villa was asked which quality brings the team together, he said, “The Communication and the Friendship” he said, adding that the the seniors help those new to the program with their skills in the water. Villa is among many of the under-classman who adds firepower to this team, averaging 1.5 goals per game. 

Ruminiski gave his personal opinions on what has changed since last year, and what helps drive this team. “It helps when the whole team is friends. We’re not separated. We don’t leave anyone out,” said Ruminski. These are important qualities not every team possesses. When asked about freshmen players on the team, he stated, “[They have] a lot of talent.”