Since Roosevelt’s football team dominates the fall sports scene, many outstanding teams can go unnoticed. Boys’ water polo had a strong season last year, and this falls’ team is poised to do even better.“Last year we got fourth in state and the year before we got third,” recounts senior captain Blake Catlow. The results from the start of this season suggest that Roosevelt should place higher this year, despite the tough competition. The team has started the season with a seven game winning streak compared to a 3-2 record this time last year.
Unlike most Roosevelt teams, boys’ water polo doesn’t meet after school every day; instead, they practice whenever they can get a pool time. “Getting a pool is definitely difficult, and it’s really expensive. There aren’t a lot of places we can practice in Seattle,” said Captain Rusty Farivar. The lack of pool times means that the water polo team’s practices end at 9:45, and also practice on Sundays. Due to limited time to practice in the water, the team makes sure to show up early to get in dryland training.
Roosevelt began the season with two away games against Bellevue High School and Mercer Island High School. “Bellevue is the four time state champ and Mercer Island is usually second or third, and we beat Bellevue in overtime and we beat MI seven to three” noted Catlow. Just last night, they beat Bellevue again, 10-7, and defeated Mercer Island the week prior in a dramatic overtime match. During the 2014 season, Roosevelt lost to Bellevue both times they played them. Now, their superiority is hard to question.
Captain Wilson Ives doesn’t contribute the team’s success to a few strong players, but instead credits the whole team. “We have a solid starting team, we don’t have any weak players,” commented Ives. The Gordon brothers have been leaders for the Roosevelt team since they play year-round and are considered some of the best players in the country. “Me and my brother are the powerhouses for scoring,” remarked sophomore Jake Gordon. The younger Gordon leads the mostly-upperclassmen Roosevelt team for scoring this year. Jake competed for the U.S. national water polo team for two years along with his older brother, senior Conrad Gordon.
“The main competition is Curtis. They got second last year and they’re set to win this year,” said Catlow. The water polo team is preparing for their non-league game against Curtis High School on October 15. Expecting another top finish this year, the team hopes that their early season success carries into the post-season. “We’ve had a decent start of the season, but you never know what could happen in the playoffs,” added Ives.
Featured Photo: The boys’ team takes on Bellevue who they lost to twice the previous year. This year, they beat them twice. Photo by Ruby Hale
