Mira Costa Beats Peninsula Again

Mira Costa’s boys water polo team swept the Peninsula High Panthers this season with a 7-4 win yesterday. While the first game of the season saw an exciting Mustang win in overtime, this game was all about Costa’s spectacular defense. 

In the first quarter, timely steals by Mustangs Cody Kelley, Dan Burdiak and Josh Huttinger surprised the Panther’s offense. Two goals from Burdiak, an especially powerful score from Justin Pratt, one from Huttinger, and assists by Mitch Trainoff and Kelley fueled the momentum, and the Mustangs went up 4-2.   

Second quarter steals by Dylan Colbert and Jimmy Bissell helped hold the Panthers to a single goal. When it looked like the Mustangs would not score at all in the quarter, Sam Siltanen fed the ball to Matt Thornton with 1:14 left and then Thornton exploded again, scoring his second goal with 16 seconds left, ending the half with the Mustangs up 6-3.

The Panthers never gave up, but the Mustangs would not be denied. Trainoff put the game further out of reach with a powerful shot to the lower right corner. The defense continued its dominance and held the Panthers to a single goal in the final seconds with a key steal and a season record 11 blocks in the second half by Mustang goalie Ian Zaun, thus cementing the win. 

A pumped up Zaun noted after the game,” We knew we could win. We just had to put everything together. It all started with the defense.”

Lani Lapidus is the mom of a Mira Costa water polo player.