Golden West Claims Seventh-Consecutive State Championship Title
The Golden West College men's water polo team has purchased real estate in the 3C2A Championship game and doesn't plan to move anytime soon. They added to their already impressive resume by defeating the north's top-seeded West Valley College Vikings in the championship game to claim the 2023 title.
The Rustlers earned their seventh-consecutive state championships and the 30th in program history. They did so by defeating the West Valley College Vikings for the second-straight season behind a dominating performance that many could have easily predicted.
Golden West jumped out to a commanding 6-1 advantage after the conclusion of the first quarter. Tomas Del Luca got the ball rolling by scoring consecutive goals to begin the bout, while Itay Roth and Emiliano Tovar followed with netters after a WVC score. They closed out the first with a pair of goal compliments of Ethan Carrington and Alec Johnson.
Both teams trades scored in the second period, but the Rustlers responded by outscoring the Vikings, 4-1, in the following frame. Johnson netted his second score of the game, while Roth and Cody Chastain followed with netters. Johnson closed out the frame with another goal leading to the win.
The Rustlers did not score in the fourth quarter, but they held West Valley to a meaningless four goals leading to a 13-9 triumph.
Head Coach Scott Taylor was named the state's Coach of the Year, while Golden West's Pablo Souza was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player (MVP). Roth and Johnson earned first team all-state recognition as well.
West Valley's Berkecan Yalcin, Phil Portisch, and Meteka Cetkovic earned all-state honors.
Men's All Tournament Team Awards
Coach Of the Year - Scott Taylor, Golden West
Most Valuable Player - Pablo Souza, Golden West
First Team All State Championship
Itay Roth, Golden West
Alec Johnson, Golden West
Berkecan Yalcin, West Valley
Phil Portisch, West Valley
Dante Ianora, Cuesta
Yvano Voigt, Cuesta
Michael Minera, Long Beach City College
Second Team All State Championship
Meteja Cetkovic, West Valley
Oliver Finley, Cuesta
Sandro Pueyo, Long Beach City College
Cole Kerksieck, American River College
Timothy Robles, Cerritos College
Seth Fischer, Modesto Junior College
Hank Wildenradt, Sierra College
(Nicho DellaValle, 3CWPCA)