Larsen Weigle scored with 1:38 remaining to play to lift the Sacred Heart Prep boys water polo team past host and top-seeded Harvard-Westlake of Studio City, 11-10, in preliminary play of the Elite Eight Invitational on Friday. The Gators also downed Vista of San Diego, 13-8, to earn a spot in Saturday’s semifinal match at noon.
Weigle, who is headed for Stanford along with teammate Andrew Churukian, scored nine of SH Prep’s 24 goals on the day to keep the fifth-seeded Gators (4-0) undefeated on the young season.
Sacred Heart Prep meets Loyola in one semifinal while Harvard-Westlake plays Newport Harbor in the other semifinal.
Against Harvard-Westlake, the biggest lead either team held was at 5-3 by the Wolverines. The Gators never led in the contest until Luke Johnston scored to make it 10-9 with 3:05 remaining to play.
Harvard-Westlake tied it with just under two minutes to play and Weigle scored 20 seconds late for the final margin.
The difference came in power play situations. The Gators converted fpour of their seven while limiting the Wolverines to 2 of 6.
SHP freshman goalie Griffen Price recorded 10 saves and made two steals. Will. Riley also had two steals and recorded an assist.
Weigle scored a team-high four goals, followed by Churukian with three. Johnston added a pair.
Vista opened an early 2-1 advantage but the Gators responded with four straight goals and were never headed again.
Weigle scored four of his five goals in the game’s first eight minutes. Johnston, Xavier Marco and Walker Seymour also scored for the Gators.
St. Francis Invitational
Menlo School beat Gunn, 15-3, in the quarterfinals of the St. Francis Invitational to set up a semifinal with De La Salle on Saturday morning.
St. Francis and Buchanan meet in the other semifinal.
Sam Untrecht scored four times to lead the Knights (7-1) past the Titans.
Nick Hernandez added three goals while Connor Enright and Colin Skinner each added a pair.
Menlo goalies Josh Poulos and Zayd Mahmoud shared 10 saves.
Menlo looks to improve on a third place finish in last year’s tournament in which they lost to San Ramon Valley in the semi’s (in overtime) and then beat Bellarmine.
By Palo Alto Online Sports
By Palo Alto Online Sports
By Palo Alto Online Sports