Rio Americano Boys Water Polo Looking Strong in Pool

The boys water polo team, the defending Sac-Joaquin Section Division II champions, lost only one senior to graduation last year and at 13-1 this season are looking to repeat.

"We've been doing well and have been improving," said senior attacker and co-captain Jake Hastie, the son of former water polo coach Bruce Hastie. "We are hungry and looking to end the same way we did last year."

The Raiders opened the season on Sept. 7 with a 13-8 win over . That next weekend, they played in the Schmitt Tournament in San Jose, defeating Jesuit 7-6 in the championship game on Sept. 10.

Rio defeated 18-1 on Sept. 14. The Raiders' only loss has been to Menlo-Atherton 10-9 in the Roche Tournament, also in San Jose, on Sept. 17. Rio rebounded by defeating De La Salle of Concord 12-11 in the third place game.

"We're looking for another title run," said first-year Rio coach Tyson Frenn. "We're likely to face El Camino in the section finals."

Among Rio's key players are senior utility and co-captain Michael Woodbury and senior center Johnny Newman.

"(Michael) does a bit of everything for us," Frenn said. "And Johnny is a returning All-American who played with the U.S. National Team in Italy recently."

Rio plays Villa Park in that school's tournament in Orange County today at 6 p.m. The Raiders face American River Drive rival Jesuit in a rematch on Oct. 20.