Beckman’s progress under third-year boys water polo coach Sam Bailey surfaced Tuesday in another key victory. The growth also was visible in how the Patriots won.
Junior Mason Reynoso scored a power-play goal on a cross pass from Minty Kim with 38 seconds left in the fourth period, and Matt Tran made a save in the final seconds as visiting Beckman answered a late surge by Woodbridge to seize a 7-6 victory in a Pacific Coast League match before dueling student cheering sections.
Beckman (13-5, 3-1) led, 5-2, going into the fourth period but the Warriors (10-6, 2-2) tied the score at 5-5 and 6-6 before the Patriots responded.
“The kids have been really grinding hard at practice and they’ve put themselves in positions repeatedly where they know they’ve got more left in the tank,” said Bailey, whose team broke into the CIF-SS Division 1 poll this week at No. 10.
“It’s opportunities or situations like (this) where they’re able to really lean on their experience and really trust in themselves and trust their teammates.”
Tran, a sophomore transfer from Orange Lutheran, proved trustworthy by making six of his 20 saves in the fourth period. He finished with five saves against the Warriors’ power-play, which finished 2 for 7.
Beckman’s late conversion highlighted a 2-for-3 effort with the extra attacker.
Center Collin Sohn paced Beckman with three goals, while junior Ian Holder added two, including a long perimeter strike that briefly gave the Patriots a 6-5 lead in the fourth. Sohn and Kim are Beckman’s only senior starters.
Left-handed Reagan Pittman had two goals and two assists to lead Woodbridge, and goalie Ben Switzer made 10 saves.
Sea View League:
Capistrano Valley 11, Aliso Niguel 9: Austin Sechrest had five goals and four assists, and Skyler Stanton added three goals to lead the visiting Cougars (12-9, 4-0).
Nonleague:
San Juan Hills 11, Kennedy 9: Eric Forbes scored five goals, and Brent McClain added three to lead the host Stallions.
Contact the writer: dalabano@ocregister.com
