OctoPoloFest

Our youngest Longhorn squad continued their undefeated streak from last summer to roll to a three win and one tie performance.  After their first meeting ended in a draw, the Horns dove in for a rematch with the host Viper Pigeons and the 2nd time proved to be the charm.  Stout defense combined with a deadly counter attack overwhelmed VP and we were able to pull away for a comfortable win in the 2nd half.  Big shout outs to Joe and Claire who were fantastic in their club debuts; Claire was tireless in the midfield and Joe was a high impact player on offense and defense.  Lennon was also a constant threat in front of the cage while Eric shored up the defense on our half of the pool.  Silas was intimidating at primary goalkeeper and even managed to pitch a rare 20-0 shutout against Triumph.

The future looks bright for the Orange and White as our 10U numbers continue to grow and our veteran players add to their game.  We’re looking forward to having even more first time athletes at the next event! .

Six Longhorn 12Us were joined by our 10s to compete in a very competitive 12U coed division.  We played tough to finish 1-3 over the weekend with several losses going right down to the final buzzer.  More shoutouts are in order for first time competitors Reese and Finnley: both athletes wasted no time making their presence felt in the pool and improved noticeably from game to game!  By the final showdown, Reese was moving well without the ball and getting open for goal scoring opportunities while Finnley exhibited some early signs of a lock down defender.  In addition to the newcomers, the 12s were led in the field by the constant offensive pressure applied by Jake and some sneaky steal and outlet pass work from Daniel.  Tristan and Silas shared time in the goal while Pierce was speedy in transition both directions, helping back on defense and making extra passes on the counter attack.

While we didn’t finish with quite as many wins as we’d hoped, the 12Us were able to gain valuable experience from all the close contests and will bounce back stronger and ready to compete!

The Longhorn faithful were treated to a rollercoaster weekend from our 14U squad, as the team intermittently demonstrated their ability to go toe to toe with the best clubs in the state.  While the up and down play resulted in a couple of close losses and a 2-2 final record, the frequent moments of water polo brilliance point to a team on the verge of a big breakthrough.

The shoutouts start with Maddox, who wasted no time building up his career block total in his first tournament as full time goalie.  Maddox was also a key component of the counter attack as his outlet passes led to several quick hitting opportunities on offense.   Often on the receiving end of those passes,  Max and Kelly did the majority of the heavy lifting on the attack and drew the attention of the opposing defense.  Both Landon and Jake took advantage of holes in the defense to chip in some nifty center plays.  Cruz and Zeke showed their willingness (and awareness!)  to help for steals while Miles and Flora demonstrated improved one on one defensive and counter attack speed. Keep your eyes peeled for more exciting games from this group as they work on their consistency in the water!

Our oldest squad also put on an exciting show for the fans, finishing with 2 wins, 1 tie, and 1 loss.  Both the tie and loss came via heartbreaking last second goals from the opponents, and although certainly unpleasant in the moment, will no doubt prove to be invaluable experience moving forward.

This squad featured first time club competitor Seth who impressed early and often with tenacious press defense and speedy counter attack shooting.  Manu manned the cage and turned back plenty of one on one attempts from opposing sides while also sending accurate outlet passes more than halfway down the field.  Thomas, Axel, and Greysen comprised the rotating triple threat of 2 meter offense and defense.  Each athlete provided a different look to the opponents and kept them guessing on our gameplan.  Ella more than held her own on the perimeter and locked down several drive attempts from the wing while also keeping the defense honest with her outside shooting.  Gavin went almost undefeated as primary sprinter and applied perimeter pressure to create disruption and steals.

Overall, a very strong showing from the 18Us as we were just two total goals away from being the only undefeated team in the division.  You can bet the athletes will be motivated to get back to work in the pool this week and continue their trek to becoming the top club in Texas!