Coming off a dominant victory against Bella Vista in the CIF NorCal Regional quarterfinal on Tuesday, the Buchanan Bears water polo team showed the rest of the field that they are playing the best they have all season.
But that Bears’ momentum was put to perhaps its most strenuous test against the Garces Memorial Rams on Thursday night.
As the team has been able to do all season, the Bears survived with key performances from their best players, beating the Rams in a 13-12 nail-biting contest to advance to the regional final.
The Bears came out of the gate with their characteristically hot start, pouring in eight goals in the first half against a Rams defense that had suffocated opponents throughout the season.
Team captain and arguably the Bears’ best offensive player Caleb Teroaka had four of his seven goals in the first half, two days after scoring just three goals against Bella Vista.
All square at eight goals apiece, the two teams knew that 14 minutes stood between the end of their respective seasons or a shot at reaching the goal they had strived for all season, a state regional championship and the chance to play the SoCal champions to determine a state water polo champion once and for all.
Teroaka and company did not take that opportunity lightly.
With the Bears down 12-11 with 1:55 left in the game and possibly the season, the resilience of the Bears shined through once again.
Teroaka forcefully put the ball into the back of the net with 1:47 on the clock, and was followed 30 seconds later by teammate Tyler Mrkaich with a game-winner to send the home crowd into a frenzy and the Bears to the championship.
However, coach Nick Maes said it was the less heralded, less glamorous side of the ball that saw them through.
“They dug deep and were able to get the stops we needed,” Maes said. “It really came down to the defense down the line getting the stops. The first half, we weren’t very happy with our defense.”
That defense will be put to the test Saturday when the Bears face the Jesuit Marauders at Independence High School in San Jose for the regional championship.
The Marauders put up 16 goals in each of the first two rounds of the tournament.