Agoura's one-man show can't beat Highlanders

TOUGH DAY-Above, Agoura's Peter Kurzeka, No. 5, fights to get around Royal's Robert Lubell during Tuesday's 11-9 Charger loss at home. Top right, AHS goalkeeper Ryan Paris makes a save. To beat the Royal boys' water polo squad Tuesday afternoon, Agoura head coach Dustin Litvak knew he'd need an entire team effort.

Unfortunately for the Chargers and their coach, many AHS players failed to make an impact in the pool as Agoura (5-2, 0-1) was defeated at home 11-9 in a highly anticipated Marmonte League matchup.

"Nobody stepped up except Peter (Kurzeka)," Litvak said. "We've said for years that no one-man team will ever beat us, and no one-man team is ever going to beat a good program like Royal, either."

Kurzeka, a junior, scored six of the Chargers' nine goals on the afternoon. Jake Smither, P.J. Iannone and Alex Thompson added the remaining Agoura goals.

Royal (11-1, 2-0), winners of 21 of the last 26 league championships, received scoring contributions from five players.

Tyler McClure and Blake Hubbell each posted three goals, while Barry Snyder and Mike Lee added two scores apiece. Scott Snyder also had a goal for the Highlanders.

RHS head coach Steve Snyder said the match between rival programs that are expected to compete for a Marmonte League title as well as a CIF-SS championship certainly lived up to the pregame hype.

"I haven't slept in two nights, and I didn't even play," he said. "There's no question our guys were nervous-we were focused . . . We need to bring our 'A' game today, and we did."

After several defensive stands by both teams to open the contest, Barry Snyder scored the game's first goal at the 4:32 mark of the first quarter.

Kurzeka answered back for Agoura on the next possession to tie the game. Moments later, he put the Chargers on top 2-1 with a longrange missile that blew past Royal goalkeeper Stash Dabrowski.

Little did the Chargers know, but it would be the last time they'd find the back of the net for nearly 15 minutes, as Royal's defense clamped down and held AHS scoreless until Kurzeka finally put another shot in goal with 3:25 remaining in the third period.

"We put our key defender (McClure) on their key forward (Kurzeka) for that period of time and he just couldn't do anything," Dabrowski said.

McClure scored his initial goal with two seconds remaining in the first quarter to tie the match. Royal added three more scores in the second quarter and took a 5-2 lead into halftime. Hubbell added a pair of goals

to begin the third period and the Highlanders' lead expanded to 7-2.

After Kurzeka finally broke Agoura's long scoring drought, he added another goal shortly thereafter. Iannone found the back of the cage with 44.1 seconds remaining in the third to cut Royal's lead to 8-5.

The Chargers put away a pair of goals to open the fourth quarter and the Highlanders' lead was soon whittled down to 9-7. But Agoura wouldn't get any closer, as Dabrowski continued to thwart away scoring chances with an outstanding effort between the pipes.

"I thought (Dabrowski) had a tremendous game, and that's a tribute to his work ethic," Steve Snyder said. "That's a very hard position to step into. It's the most critical position in the pool. And in this arena it is so tough-playing at Agoura your first time. I thought he did a marvelous job. A lot of the credit has to go to him today."

Although the Chargers battled back in the final quarter, Litvak said there were no moral victories for his team.

"We didn't play well enough to find a silver lining," Litvak said. "We backed down to Royal. And again, Peter was Peter and he's always going to be there for us. But nobody else stepped up. We've always been a team, offense and defense, and we didn't play like a team today."

Agoura will compete in the San Diego Tournament beginning Friday.