Sage Hill Boys' Water Polo Season Ends in CIF Quarterfinals
The Sage Hill School boys’ water polo team faced a tough challenge Thursday night, hosting Mater Dei in the CIF Southern Section Division 1 quarterfinals. Despite their determination and effort, a slow start cost the Lightning as they fell 11-8, concluding their season.
Season Highlights
- Sage Hill made its first appearance in the second round of Division 1 playoffs.
- The team finished with a strong 21-6 record, their best in coach Pavle Filipovic’s nine years.
- They pushed Open Division team Laguna Beach in the Pacific Coast League, finishing second.
- On October 31, they earned their inaugural Division 1 playoff victory with a 14-12 win at Yucaipa.
Match Details
Mater Dei, a program with seven CIF Southern Section championships, showcased their experience early. They opened with a 5-1 lead in the first quarter, setting the tone for the rest of the game.
“We’ve made it a point to instill discipline among ourselves, and really try to work together as a cohesive unit,” said Sage Hill senior left-handed attacker Luke Weichert, who will attend UC Irvine. “Everybody came together and worked really, really hard to get to where we are now, which is awesome. I couldn’t be prouder of all of my teammates. They all stepped up.”
With the win, Mater Dei (15-13) moves on to face Harvard-Westlake in the Division 1 semifinals scheduled for Wednesday.
Looking Forward
Sage Hill demonstrated they belong at this highly competitive level, gaining valuable experience for the program’s future seasons.
Author’s summary: Sage Hill’s season ended with a hard-fought 11-8 loss to Mater Dei in the CIF quarterfinals, marking their strongest campaign yet under coach Filipovic’s leadership.