Carondelet head coach Cat Arroyo, left, and De La Salle head coach Robert Arroyo hold up their NCS Open Division championship titles after defeating Campolindo and Moramonte water polo teams at Campolindo High School in Moraga, Calif., on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
NCS boys
Open Division
No. 4 De La Salle 14, No. 2 Miramonte 13 (OT)
MORAGA — As soon as Hayden Tully’s game-clinching goal found the back of the net, the madness began.
The pool at Campolindo High School was quickly filled with the De La Salle players, coaches and fans who packed the student section in the small bleachers on the west side of the Soda Aquatic Center.
In what will go down as an all-time classic water polo match, De La Salle captured the North Coast Section Open Division title, beating Miramonte 14-13 behind a golden goal from Tully in overtime.
The Spartans captured their seventh section title and have now won the Open Division – the NCS’s top bracket – three of the last four years.
“This was huge for us,” Tully said after the game. “It was a long game. I’m just speechless right now.”
De La Salle’s Lukas Peters (12) and Sloan Brown (2) celebrate their NCS Open Division championship title after defeating Miramonte High in overtime at Campolindo High School in Moraga, Calif., on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
After a back-and-forth first half, Miramonte looked to be pulling away toward the end of the third period.
Down a goal, De La Salle brought everyone into Miramonte’s half of the pool and attempted a shot with seconds remaining. The shot was missed but a second was left on the clock, which was just enough time for goalie Cooper Stern to heave a shot the full length of the pool that kissed the back of the net to give Miramonte a 11-9 lead going into the fourth period.
To make matters worse, Miramonte took its biggest lead of the night early in the fourth when Patrick Stice netted his sixth goal of the game, giving the Mats a 12-9 lead with just over six minutes left in regulation.
But even if their chances looked slim, the Spartans found a way to claw back.
Tully scored twice to get De La Salle to within one and senior attacker Davidka Skov scored the game-tying goal at the 4:26 mark, shifting the momentum back to the Concord school.
In the second overtime period, De La Salle’s Michael Peeff and Miramonte’s Brock Bliss each scored to keep the score tied and trigger a sudden-death period where the first team to score would win the NCS Open Division title.
Miramonte’s Patrick Stice (21) and goalkeeper Cooper Stern (1) celebrate Stem’s buzzer-beater goal in the third period against De La Salle during their NCS Open Division championship game at Campolindo High School in Moraga, Calif., on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024. De La Salle won 14-13 in overtime. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
While De La Salle was methodical in getting back into the match, it didn’t take long to find Tully for the game-winning goal. As the Spartans skipped the ball around the perimeter, Tully positioned himself perfectly at the center of the Miramonte defense. When he finally got the ball, he didn’t disappoint as he turned and fired a laser to the top right corner of the goal.
“We made some adjustments right before the end of (regulation) and Hayden was a big part of that,” De La Salle coach Robert Arroyo said. “Luckily his number popped up and he was able to get free and put that shot away.”
Tully ended Saturday’s match with three goals and a steal.
It was a huge victory for a team that was battle-tested all season. De La Salle faced the likes of JSerra Catholic, Harvard-Westlake and Mater Dei in the Southern Section to top teams in the Bay Area such as Sacred Heart Prep, St. Francis, Campolindo and Miramonte.
“This win was just huge for us,” Arroyo said. “It just shows the tradition that we’ve been able to get started and continue.”
De La Salle classmates jump in the pool to join the water polo team celebration after defeating Miramonte High in overtime in the NCS Open Division championship game at Campolindo High School in Moraga, Calif., on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
De La Salle goalkeeper William Corr, right, cries in celebration as he is congratulated by his mother, Monika Corr, after defeating Miramonte High in overtime during their NCS Open Division championship game at Campolindo High School in Moraga, Calif., on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Monika Corr congratulates her son and De La Salle goalkeeper William Corr after defeating Miramonte High in overtime during their NCS Open Division championship game at Campolindo High School in Moraga, Calif., on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
De La Salle’s Sloan Brown (2) and teammates celebrate their NCS Open Division championship title after defeating Miramonte High in overtime at Campolindo High School in Moraga, Calif., on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
De La Salle’s Breydon Congo (3) and Miramonte’s Trent Smith (10) fight for the ball during their NCS Open Division championship game at Campolindo High School in Moraga, Calif., on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024. De La Salle won 14-13 in overtime. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
De La Salle goalkeeper William Corr makes a save against Miramonte High during their NCS Open Division championship game at Campolindo High School in Moraga, Calif., on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024. De La Salle won 14-13 in overtime. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
De La Salle goalkeeper William Corr makes a save against Miramonte High during their NCS Open Division championship game at Campolindo High School in Moraga, Calif., on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024. De La Salle won 14-13 in overtime. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
NCS girls
Open Division
No. 3 Carondelet 8, No. 1 Campolindo 6
Both the boys and girls Open Division titles will be staying on Treat Blvd.
Carondelet staved off a fierce Campolindo second-half comeback to win the school’s second section title in school history.
Carondelet coach Cat Arroyo – wife of De La Salle coach Robert Arroyo – has led Carondelet to both section championships. The Cougars won the Division II crown in 2021, but have now reached the mountain top as they win the Open Division title.
“When the program started, we were really strong back in the 90s, and it kind of has taken a back seat for a while,” Arroyo said. “We talk a lot about heart, faith, courage and excellence. Those girls have really brought into it and put a lot of heart into this program and really building this.”
Carondelet water polo girls celebrate their NCS Open Division championship game after defeating Campolindo 8-6 at Campolindo High School in Moraga, Calif., on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
These two teams played each other twice in the regular season and split the series in two close matches.
Carondelet led 4-1 at halftime, but Campolindo came roaring back in the third period.
Sammy Frazier and Ainsley Hogan combined for three goals to tie the match heading into the fourth period. Campolindo briefly took a 6-5 lead after Hogan scored at the 6:09 mark of the fourth period, but it was all Carondelet after that.
Josie Haast, Ainsley Swann, Clara O’Connor and Quinn Arroyo all found the back of the net as Carondelet closed the match on a 4-1 run to seal the win.
“The last time we played them, they were able to come back,” Haast said. “This time we knew we weren’t going to let them win. We knew we were going to fight until the very end no matter what.”
Carondelet water polo girls celebrate their NCS Open Division championship game after defeating Campolindo 8-6 at Campolindo High School in Moraga, Calif., on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Carondelet water polo girls begin to celebrate their NCS Open Division championship game after defeating Campolindo 8-6 at Campolindo High School in Moraga, Calif., on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Carondelet water polo girls begin to celebrate their NCS Open Division championship game after defeating Campolindo 8-6 at Campolindo High School in Moraga, Calif., on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Carondelet water polo girls head coach Cheyenne Pena, center, celebrates with her players their NCS Open Division championship game after defeating Campolindo 8-6 at Campolindo High School in Moraga, Calif., on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Carondelet water polo girls celebrate their NCS Open Division championship game after defeating Campolindo 8-6 at Campolindo High School in Moraga, Calif., on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Carondelet water polo girls celebrate their NCS Open Division championship game after defeating Campolindo 8-6 at Campolindo High School in Moraga, Calif., on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Carondelet water polo girls celebrate their NCS Open Division championship game after defeating Campolindo 8-6 at Campolindo High School in Moraga, Calif., on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Division I
No. 1 San Ramon Valley 9, No. 3 Las Lomas 7
Natalie Buck scored three goals to lead SRV over Las Lomas and capture the program’s 12th NCS title.
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After taking a commanding 7-3 lead at halftime, Lily Palma and Las Lomas came all the way back to come within a goal of SRV in the third period.
But SRV proved to be too much in the fourth as the Wolves locked down defensively to shut the door on a Las Lomas comeback.
“This team put in a lot of great hard work and effort,” SRV coach Matt Mundelious said. “This is just a celebration of the season. I’m really proud of where the girls are. They raised the level of our program.”
Division II
No. 2 Marin Catholic 8, No. 1 James Logan 6
James Logan fell short of winning its first section title, losing to Marin Catholic in a close match.
