Team effort has Lions primed for water polo glory
By Thomas Gase tgase@theacorn.com

Agoura High may be ranked No. 1 in the CIFSouthern Section Division IV boys' water polo coaches' poll, but there's a team just around the corner trying to catch them. Four miles away, to be exact.

With a 145 overall record, including a 50 mark in the TriValley League, Oaks Christian has ascended to the No. 3 spot in Division IV. Agoura isn't on Oaks Christian's schedule this year, which means the only way the Lions would play the Chargers is in the postseason.

"I would love to play Agoura in the playoffs because the way everything is going, that would mean we would be playing in the championship game," Oaks Christian head coach Stuart Craft said. "Our team has never gotten into the final four, and I believe this year we can do it."

Craft is now in his fourth year coaching the Lions. He originally was going to coach the team for four years while his son, Michael, attended OCHS. That plan changed when Craft realized walking away from Oaks Christian would be tough.

"It's truly been a gift from God to have coached here at Oaks," Craft said. "It all depends on my health and my business, but it would be hard now to ever walk away from this school."

With the squad he has this year, Craft is hoping for many more good memories. The team lost its top two players from last season- John Pare and Ryan Balikian- due to graduation, but have made up for it with the roster's outstanding depth. The Lions currently own a six-game winning streak, having outscored their opponents 85-29 during that span.

"Last year we basically had two main stars on our team," senior Aric Avedissian said. "This year we are more like a family and more teamoriented. We have a lot more subs that can come in and do the job."

Oaks Christian's deep roster left Craft with a tough decision in the preseason.

Avedissian had been the Lions' goalkeeper for three years, but with goalkeeper Doug Chespak healthy after an injury sidelined him for his junior year, Craft decided to put Chespak back in the cage and move Avedissian to 2 meters.

"The team thought it would be better if I played the field with Doug back, and I'm going to do anything to help our chances of winning," Avedissian said.

"I still miss playing goalie and I'll probably play it again in college . . . On the other hand, I like playing the field because of the aggression that comes with it. I like taking my anger out on the other team."

Avedissian and Chespak are two of seven seniors on the team who were freshmen when Craft took over in 2004.

Also returning this season are four-year starters Tyler Reardon and (Coach Craft's son) Michael Craft. Both players were All-CIF in '06. The other seniors are Connor Hall, Samuel Duimovich and Daniel Nelson.

Other OCHS players who have contributed to the team's success are juniors George Youmans, Trent Navarro and Collin Baratte; sophomore Jet Reich, and freshmen Cole Baratte, Alec Follmer and Matthew Gonzalez.

Nelson, a four-year varsity player, said he isn't holding anything back in his final season.

"It's weird being a senior now," Nelson said. "In the past there was always next season if we didn't get the job done. Now there is no next season. This year I'm really looking forward to getting back at all the teams we're struggled against in the past because this is my last chance to do it."

One of the teams Nelson was looking to get revenge on was Righetti High. The past three years Righetti has knocked Oaks Christian out of the playoffs. Two weeks ago OCHS got payback when it defeated Righetti, 12-4.

Although the playoffs are on the horizon, Nelson said the team is doing its best to stay focused on the task at hand.

"Agoura- we know is a great team, but we have to worry about the others as well," Nelson said. "We have to stay disciplined and worry about our schedule game by game."