Water polo playoffs: Redwood boys book their spot in MCAL final

After playing to a stalemate in the first quarter, the top-seeded Redwood High boys water polo team revved up its game en route to a 15-4 victory over No. 4 Terra Linda in Wednesday’s MCAL water polo semifinals at Tam High.

Ossie Joplin’s goal 1 minute, 21 seconds into the second quarter gave the Giants a 3-2 lead, which they never surrendered. Billy Zech, who led all players with five goals, scored twice in the final two minutes of the quarter to extend Redwood’s lead to 6-3 by halftime.

“All credit to Terra Linda. They put their hearts into this game,” Redwood coach Rudy Kardos said. “In the first quarter, we came in a little slow. We had to get in the game. Really, this was the best thing that could have happened to us. We have to take the game seriously every time.”

The Giants (19-7) advance to Saturday’s MCAL final against No. 2 Archie Williams, a 12-8 winner against Tam in Wednesday’s late semifinal.

Leo Manwaring-Mueller and Soren Jessen scored just over two minutes apart in the first quarter to counter the Giants’ scoring. Zech gave Redwood the early 1-0 lead, which held up for hardly 30 seconds before Jessen tied the game. Max Matthews restored Redwood’s lead, but Manwaring-Mueller quickly tied the game 2-2.

The Giants did all the scoring in the third quarter, with Zech and Preston Page accounting for all five goals as Redwood built a 11-3 lead.

Trojans goalkeeper Sam Frack was superb against a heavy Giants attack, blocking a spree of Giants shots within a minute, including a David Finney penalty shot. Frack finished with 12 saves. Redwood netminder Charlie Mills collected eight saves behind a solid Giants defense.

Joplin netted three of his four goals in the fourth quarter as Redwood continued to build on its lead. Matthews tallied two goals for Redwood during the first half and Finn Barnes added a fourth-quarter goal.

Manwaring-Mueller led the Trojans (11-7) with two goals, while Jee Davis scored a goal in the second quarter.

Redwood girls win

Terra Linda players clearly had an upset in mind when they jumped in the pool against top-seeded Redwood during Wednesday’s MCAL water polo semifinals at Tam High.

The Trojans pressured the Giants early, but Zoe Zedlitz and Giselle Orson fueled a Redwood scoring outburst in the second quarter that gave Redwood a slim halftime edge. The Giants made the lead hold up through an action-filled second half to secure a 10-7 victory.

“That’s what the playoff atmosphere is supposed to be about,” Terra Linda coach Geoff Peters said. “I’m proud of how my team played all four quarters. We gave them a run for their money.”

The Giants advance to Saturday’s semifinal against the winner of the late semifinal between No. 3 Marin Catholic and No. 2 Archie Williams.

Meanwhile, Terra Linda looks forward to Sunday, when the North Coast Section brackets are announced.

“Zoe Zedlitz really stepped up in the first and second quarters to right the ship,” Redwood head coach Brian Monty said. “She’s not always the big scorer, but she really came through.”

The Giants were forced to rally in the second quarter after the Trojans took a 2-1 lead with goals from Emma Erickson and Rosie Lucchesi in the first quarter. Zedlitz scored back-to-back goals two minutes apart to start the second quarter and give Redwood a 3-2 lead.

That was the difference-maker, and the Giants’ Orson made sure it held up with two goals to counter goals from the Trojans’ Catherine Fahrner and Lucchesi as the first half ended with Redwood leading 5-4. Orson finished with three goals.

The Giants looked to put the game away in the third quarter as Sydney Moseley scored three of her five goals to give Redwood a 9-5 lead. Moseley did most of her work near the cage, drawing goalkeeper Haley Brown out of the net for a shot from the right side for a goal with 47 seconds left in the third quarter. She later scored on a penalty shot in the fourth quarter.

The Trojans powered up their attack in the final minutes, but Redwood’s defense, anchored by goalkeeper Stella Cico, held tough. Cico stopped 12 shots against an aggressive Trojan offense.