Men’s water polo: Pirates gearing for state finals

Tony Altobelli

PLEASANT HILL - Orange Coast College men’s water polo team will

have to go to bed early Thursday night in order to be prepared to face

West Valley College in the opening match of the Hyundai-California

Community College Water Polo State Championships Friday.

Game time is set for 7 a.m. and Coach Chris Oeding’s squad will have

to open the match against No. 1 Northern California team after a

disappointing fourth-place finish at the Southern California regional

tournament.

“I don’t think the early morning start will be that big a deal for our

club,” Oeding said. “We’ve had a.m. workouts all season long so we’ll be

ready. I guess if you’re going to have to play the top team in the state,

that would be the best time to play them.”

The top four teams from Southern and Northern California comprise this

tournament. They are Golden West (29-1-1), Riverside (22-12-2), Citrus

(26-7-2) and OCC (24-8-2) in the south and West Valley (23-4-1), Merced

(17-9-1), Diablo Valley (14-11) and Modesto (15-15-1) in the North.

“We come into this thing with a lot to gain and not a whole lot to

lose,” Oeding said. “I think the guys are going to be very motivated to

play the No. 1 team in the state.”