BERO RUSZ (with ball) scored five goals in GWC’s 9-6 win over Long Beach City College. Western Sun photo Adam Stites
By Adam Stites
Western Sun sports editor
The Golden West men’s water polo team are state champions for the 22nd time in school history after defeating Long Beach City College 9-6 in the state finals at Cerritos College on Saturday, Nov. 19.
The victory represented redemption for a team that came just short of accomplishing their goals in 2010.
“It’s been a long time coming,” goalie Taylor Lapin said. “Last year we lost in the final game so this is big for us.”
In this game however, it was the LBCC Vikings that got out to the early start scoring twice to jump out to a 2-0 lead. Freshman Bero Rusz led the team back in control with all four of GWC’s first half goals to give the Rustlers a 4-3 lead at halftime. Rusz, who finished the game with five goals, earned the state tournament MVP award.
In the third quarter, three goals from Kevin Oliveria stretched the lead to 7-4 late in the third quarter and two more goals gave GWC a 9-4 lead. The amount proved to be insurmountable with Lapin recording 13 saves for Golden West.
“Our team throughout the season has been a second half team and we’ve always come out slow in games,” Lapin said. “We just ended up outlasting every team in the state.”
The Rustlers, led by head coach Scott Taylor, have now won three of the last four state championships. A 14-8 victory over Diablo Valley, which included a game-high six goals from Rusz, earned GWC a chance to play in the finals.
