M/W Water Polo State Championship Stage Set

The semifinal rounds have concluded as a rematch of the Southern Regional Championship featuring the Orange Coast College Pirates and the Santa Barbara City College Vaqueros will face off on the women's side, while the two top seeds on the men's side in the Golden West College Rustlers and the West Valley College Vikings are set to square off for the state championship title.

Championship Saturday Schedule

Women's Third Place- 9:30 AM: (1N) West Valley vs. (2N) San Joaquin Delta
Men's Third Place  - 10:45 AM: (2S) Cuesta vs. (2N) Sierra
Women's Championship – 12:00 PM: (2S) Santa Barbara vs. (1S) Orange Coast
Men's Championship – 1:15 PM: (1N) West Valley vs. (1S) Golden West

WOMEN

Orange Coast and Santa Barbara will face off against each other in yet another championship showdown for the second time this season. The only difference is the winner of this match up claims the CCCAA State Championship.

Santa Barbara worked towards an upset victory by defeating the north's top-seeded West Valley, 13-7, to reach the state championship dance for the second-consecutive season. They earned revenge over West Valley after falling to them last year in the state title game, 6-5. West Valley will face off against San Joaquin Delta in the third place game tomorrow.

Freshman duo Bella Straley and Claire Daland each scored four goals to pace the Vaqueros, while sophomores Jenna Olson and Eden Tal followed with two scores.

Dual threat goalkeepers kept a pesky West Valley offense at bay as sophomore Chloe McKay and freshman Ava Donleavy protected the pipes for two quarters each.

Orange Coast, who recently defeated Santa Barbara in the Southern Regional Championships, advances to the state championship game after routing San Joaquin Delta, 17-9. It was a tight game as both teams were knotted up at four all, but a 5-0 run that capped the first half and leaked into the third quarter put the Pirates in the driver's seat.

Sophomore Destiny Hernandez was relentless as she has been all season by leading the Pirates with six goals, while sophomore Jillian Duwe backed her with three goals.

MEN

To no surprise, the two powerhouse programs and top seeds in the Golden West College Rustlers and the West Valley College Vikings will square off in the CCCAA State Championship game. Golden West will look to earn their sixth-consecutive state title, while West Valley will look to snap the Rustler's impressive five-year run.

West Valley took down Cuesta, 14-10, in a game that saw the Cougars put their best foot forward. They made a small run in the third frame, but a five-goal fourth quarter by the Vikings was took much. WVC's Mario Almarza fired home three of the team's five fourth-quarter goals to power to the win.

Sophomore Ante Buzov scored four goals as well with three goals in the first quarter.

Golden West Jumped out to an early lead and never looked back as they worked towards a 17-13 victory over the north's second-seeded Sierra College Wolverines. It was a potent offensive attack on the Rustler's part as they had a trio of players score three goals while outscoring Sierra in all but the final frame.

Six goals in each of the first two quarters set the tone for an all-Rustlers showing. Italy Roth, Felipe Ferreira and Eamon Hennessey each scored three goals, while Alec Johnson scored two goals.

Release by Nicho DellaValle, CCCWPCA SID