ALL-AREA BOYS WATER POLO - Nogales' Estevez set CIF-SS scoring mark
By Fred J. Robledo, Staff Writer
1/11/12 San Gabriel Valley Tribune
Nogales High School s Nick Estevez, the Tribune Player of the Year, set a single-season CIF-SS scoring record with 233 goals this past season. (Watchara Phomicinda / Staff Photographer)
The 2011 boys water polo season might have been one of the Valley's best ever.
Nogales and Bonita won CIF-Southern Section division titles and Damien advanced to a division final as well.
All three teams had enough superstars to fill out The Tribune's boys water polo first team, but Nogales' Nick Estevez stood above the rest. Estevez's record-breaking season and back-to-back CIF titles with the Nobles earned him Tribune Player of the Year honors for the second year in a row.
Estevez set a single-season CIF-SS scoring record with 233 goals, eclipsing the mark of 229 set by Hoover's Hakop Kaplanyan in 2009.
The Nobles senior broke the record in the Division 7 championship game by scoring four goals in Nogales' 8-6 victory over Don Lugo.
In addition to his 233 goals, Estevez also had 57 steals and was named Valle Vista League and Division 7 Most Valuable Player for the second year in a row.
Estevez said his biggest joy was helping put Nogales water polo on the map. Prior to his arrival as a freshman, water polo at Nogales was more of a recreational sport than anything competitive. "When I started out, I never dreamed that it could end like this," Estevez said. "We did it with hard work. We were a team in every sense of the word. I never thought I would accomplish what I did or that our team would accomplish what it did.
"But I learned the team that has the strongest bond pulls through. A team
that can carry chemistry in practice and in games is unstoppable. You want to be successful? It all depends on how bad you want it." Those traits were not lost on his coach.
"Nick finished his high school career with an extraordinary season by averaging seven goals a game," Nobles coach Alex Matal said. "Nick did a lot more than just score for our team, he was also a mentor to his teammates. He helped the coaching staff develop and teach his younger teammates the fundamentals needed to be successful during practices and competition." Setting the scoring record did not surprise Matal, who expects more of the same when Estevez is at Mt. SAC next fall. "Nick was committed and dedicated to repeating our program's success, whether that meant he scored or one of his teammates scored," Matal said. "The coaching staff placed Nick in a position where he found repeated success throughout the season. As you know, he did not know about even tying the (scoring) record until after our semifinal win at Mt. SAC."
The Nobles finished 29-4 and had much more than just Estevez. Senior goalkeeper Christiaan Ortiz and senior defender Ramon Martinez each were named to the Tribune first team. Ortiz was phenomenal in the playoffs and finished with 328 saves. He also was all-league and a Division 7 first-teamer. Sanchez was a rock defensively, but also helped out with the scoring load in finishing with 73 goals, 49 assists and 45 steals. Sanchez was named Nogales' defensive player of the year while also making the league and Division 7 first team. Click HERE for entire story!
· SEADEVILS WATER POLO FREE YOUTH WATER POLO PROGRAM REGISTRATION MONDAY, JAN. 16 AT 6 P.M.! Spread the word -- youth in grades 5th – 8th can take part in this FREE water polo program at Nogales High School Pool! Session Dates are Mondays and Wednesdays from 6:45 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. January 16 – March 14. Limited to the first 50 athletes. Athletes must be able to swim 25 yards. COST: Free with 3 volunteer hours to the program – Parents Must Attend Registration! Led by Coach Tim Tobin. For more questions, email [email protected]
By Fred J. Robledo, Staff Writer
1/11/12 San Gabriel Valley Tribune
Nogales High School s Nick Estevez, the Tribune Player of the Year, set a single-season CIF-SS scoring record with 233 goals this past season. (Watchara Phomicinda / Staff Photographer)
The 2011 boys water polo season might have been one of the Valley's best ever.
Nogales and Bonita won CIF-Southern Section division titles and Damien advanced to a division final as well.
All three teams had enough superstars to fill out The Tribune's boys water polo first team, but Nogales' Nick Estevez stood above the rest. Estevez's record-breaking season and back-to-back CIF titles with the Nobles earned him Tribune Player of the Year honors for the second year in a row.
Estevez set a single-season CIF-SS scoring record with 233 goals, eclipsing the mark of 229 set by Hoover's Hakop Kaplanyan in 2009.
The Nobles senior broke the record in the Division 7 championship game by scoring four goals in Nogales' 8-6 victory over Don Lugo.
In addition to his 233 goals, Estevez also had 57 steals and was named Valle Vista League and Division 7 Most Valuable Player for the second year in a row.
Estevez said his biggest joy was helping put Nogales water polo on the map. Prior to his arrival as a freshman, water polo at Nogales was more of a recreational sport than anything competitive. "When I started out, I never dreamed that it could end like this," Estevez said. "We did it with hard work. We were a team in every sense of the word. I never thought I would accomplish what I did or that our team would accomplish what it did.
"But I learned the team that has the strongest bond pulls through. A team
that can carry chemistry in practice and in games is unstoppable. You want to be successful? It all depends on how bad you want it." Those traits were not lost on his coach.
"Nick finished his high school career with an extraordinary season by averaging seven goals a game," Nobles coach Alex Matal said. "Nick did a lot more than just score for our team, he was also a mentor to his teammates. He helped the coaching staff develop and teach his younger teammates the fundamentals needed to be successful during practices and competition." Setting the scoring record did not surprise Matal, who expects more of the same when Estevez is at Mt. SAC next fall. "Nick was committed and dedicated to repeating our program's success, whether that meant he scored or one of his teammates scored," Matal said. "The coaching staff placed Nick in a position where he found repeated success throughout the season. As you know, he did not know about even tying the (scoring) record until after our semifinal win at Mt. SAC."
The Nobles finished 29-4 and had much more than just Estevez. Senior goalkeeper Christiaan Ortiz and senior defender Ramon Martinez each were named to the Tribune first team. Ortiz was phenomenal in the playoffs and finished with 328 saves. He also was all-league and a Division 7 first-teamer. Sanchez was a rock defensively, but also helped out with the scoring load in finishing with 73 goals, 49 assists and 45 steals. Sanchez was named Nogales' defensive player of the year while also making the league and Division 7 first team. Click HERE for entire story!
· SEADEVILS WATER POLO FREE YOUTH WATER POLO PROGRAM REGISTRATION MONDAY, JAN. 16 AT 6 P.M.! Spread the word -- youth in grades 5th – 8th can take part in this FREE water polo program at Nogales High School Pool! Session Dates are Mondays and Wednesdays from 6:45 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. January 16 – March 14. Limited to the first 50 athletes. Athletes must be able to swim 25 yards. COST: Free with 3 volunteer hours to the program – Parents Must Attend Registration! Led by Coach Tim Tobin. For more questions, email [email protected]