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Monday, Nov. 02, 2009
Los Banos water polo finishes 12-0 in CCC, nowback to playoffs
LOS BANOS -- After years of diving into the pool dressed in Speedo and cap, John Wallace finally took his first dip as coach.
Fully clothed.
Dressed for supper, maybe a movie. Certainly, not a swim.
Los Banos Enterprise - JOHN-JOEL GRIFFITHS/THE ENTERPRISE Jessica Witt of the Los Banos High girls varsity water polo team makes the pass during a victory over Turlock High in the CCC finale on Oct. 29.
Los Banos Enterprise - JOHN-JOEL GRIFFITHS/THE ENTERPRISE Mabel Flores of the Los Banos High girls varsity water polo team falls back and takes the shot agaisnt Turlock High on Oct. 29.
Los Banos Enterprise - JOHN-JOEL GRIFFITHS/THE ENTERPRISE Mallory Howard of the Los Banos High girls varsity water polo team gets after the ball while a Turlock High defender just watches on Oct. 29 at the Loftin Stadium public pool.
Los Banos Enterprise - JOHN-JOEL GRIFFITHS/THE ENTERPRISE Mallory Howard of the Los Banos High girls varsity water polo team scores a goal with a hand in her face on Oct. 29 against Turlock High.
Los Banos Enterprise - JOHN-JOEL GRIFFITHS/THE ENTERPRISE Mallory Howard of the girls varsity water polo team makes the pass to the left side of the pool on Oct. 29 against Turlock High.
Los Banos Enterprise - JOHN-JOEL GRIFFITHS/THE ENTERPRISE Mabel Flores of the Los Banos High girls varsity water polo team rises up and puts away the shot as the Tigers completed a 12-0 run through CCC on Oct. 29 against Turlock High.
"They got me," he said.
Indeed, the Los Banos girls water polo program has found its man.
Wallace turned the program into a Central California Conference champion in just his second year at the helm, and his reward after last week's regular season finale was an icy plunge.
Moments after a 4-3 victory over Turlock on Senior Night -- a win that clinched a perfect CCC season -- the girls conspired against their decorated head coach.
Tip-toe. Tip-toe. Push.
Wallace didn't seem to mind, playfully vowing to get his revenge with workouts and film sessions.
Secretly, though, he had hoped to add a moment like this to his vast collection of championship memories.
Wallace has done nothing but win since he was a teenager. He was a part of back-to-back CCC championship teams as a junior and senior at Merced High. His Merced College water polo team captured a Northern California crown, and he eventually finished his career at Chaminade University.
But never had he won one as a coach.
Until now.
"I've been part of a few, but never coached one," he said. "This one's pretty sweet. What's nice is that the girls have come a long way to get to this point.
"It's a different feeling from playing to coaching, but it's still sweet."
Los Banos closed the regular season at 19-5, and senior Mallory Howard credits Wallace with the program's worst-to-first turnaround.
"Before we had a different coach and our varsity was last in the league. I was on JV and didn't know how to shoot, had no technique until Wallace came," she said. "He was good at breaking things down and showing us how to play.
"He's given up so much of his time. He's probably the biggest part (of our success). I mean, I know how to shoot the ball now."
Does she.
Howard was second on the team with 41 goals, five back of junior Jessica Witt, and she also had team-best 65 steals and 25 assists.
Up next: the postseason.
In all, Merced County is sending four teams to the Sac-Joaquin Section Division I playoffs, which begin on Friday and Saturday at Johansen High.
Los Banos (19-5) could be the only No. 1 seed in the girls tournament to be considered an underdog. Wallace's girls open with Tokay on Friday at 11 a.m. -- a team it lost to on Oct. 17 in the Western States tournament, 6-2.
"They were able to press us out pretty far and shut down our offense," Wallace said. "Once they did that, they kept chugging away on their offensive end."
Howard can't wait for the rematch.
"I'm not bummed about the draw. Oh no, I'm excited," she said. "I know we were all beat during that tournament. My arms were killing me. It was a chore to swim back and forth. I'm excited to show them the real Los Banos."
CCC runnerup Merced opens against Tri-City Athletic League champion Stockton St. Mary's at 3 p.m.
On the boys side, Golden Valley, the CCC champion, faces Fairfield at 2 p.m. on Saturday. Merced, meanwhile, will play perennial power Carmichael Jesuit at 9 a.m.
Jesuit has been to the Division I title game eight straight times, winning four during that run.
James Burns is sports editor of the Sun-Star. He can be reached at jburns@mercedsun-star.com.
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