Katella honors coach by repeating as CIF champs

IRVINE - As the final seconds of the game ticked away, Katella boys water polo coach Dave Mikesell raised his hand high above his head and pointed toward the cloudy sky.

The Knights believe their late coach, Grafton Weiss, was watching Saturday.

Top-seeded Katella put on another good show, defeating Empire League rival and No. 2 seeded Valencia, 8-5, at the William Woollett Jr. Aquatics Center to claim a second consecutive CIF-SS Division VII title.

“And he was here today,” Mikesell said of Weiss, who died a week after the Knights defeated Valencia, 7-1, in last season’s Division VII final. “He kept trying to peek through the clouds.”

There were other tributes to Weiss. During the game, his wife, Mindy, held the Knights’ 2008 championship plaque from her seat in the middle of the Knights’ red-clad cheering section.

Injured Katella goalie Dylan Peterson (knee) held Weiss’ straw hat during the match. In the postgame ceremony, Katella’s players hugged Mindy after receiving their awards.

And before departing for photographs, a moment of silence was held on the pool deck for Weiss, a veteran coach whose passing at age 49 stung the tight-knit water polo community.

“This is really emotional for me right now,” said senior Don Brown, who made seven saves filling in for Peterson, a junior. “(Weiss has) been in the back of my mind this whole time and I’ve just played my heart out for him.

“This was for him but it also was for us, too.”

Featuring seven starting seniors, Katella (22-10) won again with defense. The Knights shut out the Tigers (20-6) for the final 15 minutes 42 seconds, a stretch that included the final two periods. Like Valencia, Katella played a tight press but the Tigers struggled to get off shots in the second half.

“I can’t ask more from these kids,” said Mikesell, who was co-head coach with Weiss. “These are the best group of young men that I’ve ever coached. ... I’ve never seen a team overcome this much adversity and keep plugging away.”

Katella led, 6-5, at halftime. Dillon Avila then made it 7-5 by scoring on a penalty shot that he drew on a counterattack he sparked with a field block late in the third period. Avila finished with a match-high three goals.

Left-hander Ben Burnett capped the scoring with his second man-advantage strike with 2:05 left in the fourth.

Katella finished 4 for 7 with the extra attacker; Valencia went 1 for 4.

Valencia never led but tied the score three times in the second period. “We’re glad we made it this far,” said Valencia coach Bernard Ma, who had five players score.

Valencia goalie Ryan Jackman had 10 saves.