Crespi Keeps Head Above Water in Loss to Harvard-Westlake

No coach in the Mission League expects to beat perennial powerhouse Harvard-Westlake High in water polo.

After all, the Wolverines have lost only one of their last 72 league games.

Despite his team’s stunning resurgence this season, Crespi Coach Jonathan Schild is no exception.

Instead Schild chooses to accept the Celts’ league matchup with the Southern Section’s fifth-ranked Division I team for what it is:

“A good standard to see where we are at this point,� Schild said.

After watching his team outscore Harvard-Westlake in the second and fourth quarters on Wednesday, Schild saw nothing but positives after the Celts’ 11-5 loss at Pierce College.

“It’s great for our team to know we can compete at this level,� he said.

Half a game is better than none, to be sure.

Harvard-Westlake (14-3, 3-0 in league), top-ranked by The Times, dominated early by forcing turnovers on Crespi’s first five possessions and claimed a 3-0 lead.

Crespi (16-6, 0-2) made it interesting in the second quarter on goals by Hernan Golbert from two meters and Brian Wiser, who converted a man-up opportunity.

But that was as close as it would get.

Jim Singleton scored the second of his three goals from two meters with 1:34 remaining in the half for a 4-2 lead.

Apparently, the game was too close for comfort for Wolverine Coach Rich Corso, who stuck to his game plan of giving ample playing time to all 15 of his players.

“I told the guys I want four hard minutes,� Corso said. “I want four goals right now.�

And that’s exactly what Corso got.

Harvard-Westlake scored four goals, including three by Travis Warner, in the first 2:17 of the third quarter.

Another goal by Singleton with eight seconds left in the quarter gave the Wolverines a 9-2 advantage.

“We got a little flustered in the third quarter, but we came back and won the fourth quarter,� Schild said.

Certainly, Crespi didn’t fold.

The Celts scored three consecutive goals--two by Danny Behrens and another by Erik Cancino--to get to within, 9-5, with 2:24 remaining.

Harvard-Westlake answered with a two-meter goal by Andrew Herr and another by Matthew Mazzeo at the buzzer.