FIRST TEAM
Ash Molthen
Orange Lutheran, Jr.
The Register’s player of the year.
Hannes Daube
Orange Lutheran, Jr.
The sharp-shooting, All-CIF attacker led the Division 1 and Trinity League champion in goals with 82 and added 50 assists and 50 steals. Daube, a 6-foot-4 USC commit, played one of his best matches in the Division 1 final, collecting three goals and three steals. Huntington Beach’s Quinten Osborne said Daube improved his shooting and aggressiveness. “Hannes is really creative and crafty, too,” Mater Dei’s Jack Seybold said.
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ALL-COUNTY BOYS WATER POLO
- Player of the year: Ash Molthen, Orange Lutheran
- All-County: First team selections
- Coach of the year: Jon Puffer, Aliso Niguel
- All-County: Second & Third Teams
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Joe Molina
Foothill, Jr.
The crafty, All-CIF utility player led the Crestview League champion Knights in goals with 92. Foothill’s offensive MVP also guarded 2 meters, had 33 steals and played attacker. “He’s good at getting open,” Newport Harbor’s Connor Turnbow-Lindenstadt said of Molina. “He’s one of the top in the county.”
Quinten Osborne
Huntington Beach, Sr.
The Sunset League MVP was the county’s most feared centers because of his size, strength and ability to score. The UCLA commit and All-CIF pick led the Division 1 runner-up in goals with 66, drew numerous exclusions and attracted extra attention from defenses. His scoring helped push the Oilers to the title at the North-South Challenge. “He’s very strong,” Foothill’s Joe Molina said of Osborne. “We had to run a lot of zone (against him).”
Brock Petersen
Santa Margarita, Jr.
The hard-pressing attacker helped the Eagles capture their first CIF title by leading the squad in goals (98) and assists (79). He finished second to his twin brother, Chase, in steals with 63. He was voted Division 2 player of the year. “I tried to just step up and be a leader,” Petersen said.
Jack Seybold
Mater Dei, Jr.
The All-CIF utility used one of the best perimeter shots in the county to lead the Monarchs in scoring with 95 goals, including six in a league showdown against Orange Lutheran. He also collected 36 assists and a team-leading 52 steals. “Great shooter, great all-around player,” Huntington Beach goalie Patrick Saunders said of Seybold. “Really intense. Always plays hard.”
Patrick Saunders
Huntington Beach, Sr., GK
The All-CIF goalie and UCLA commit made 277 saves to help the Oilers defend their Sunset League title and reach their first Division 1 final. Saunders played his best in the playoffs, making a combined 28 saves in consecutive victories against Mater Dei and Harvard-Westlake of Studio City. “If we have defensice lapses or make mistakes, (we) know Patrick can make a beast block,” teammate Ethan Wojciechowski said.
Connor Turnbow-Lindenstadt
Newport Harbor, Sr.
The strong-armed attacker paced the improved Sailors in goals with 71 and added 46 steals. He netted four goals in a Division 1 first-round playoff victory at El Toro. “Throughout the year, we kept improving,” he said.
Ethan Wojciechowski
Huntington Beach, Sr.
The two-time, first-team All-County utility led the Division 1 runner-up with strong overall play and leadership. The Cal commit battled through a shoulder injury late in the season to finish with 42 goals and played some of the best defense in the county. “He’s great,” Orange Lutheran’s Hannes Daube said of the All-CIF pick. “He has speed, defense. He’s a good threat on offense. He’s pretty good at entering the ball into (center).”
Contact the writer: dalbano@scng.com
