On Friday, Sept. 26, Archie Williams varsity boys water polo faced off against the Saint Francis High School Lancers in a riveting non-league match-up. The game kept the crowd on the edge of their seats as the lead bounced back and forth between the two teams. In the end, the Lancers pulled away to secure the victory.

The game started strongly with the Falcons winning the sprint and gaining the first possession. The Lancers scored first, but junior Nate Greenberg quickly evened the game with a 5-meter penalty shot and an impressive left-wing goal despite tight defense. The Falcons followed with several defensive stops, including a key block from senior goalie Josh Dixon, leaving the quarter ending 3-2 in favor of the Lancers.

Archie Williams dominated the start of the second quarter by winning the first possession with junior Chase Stein sinking the ball into the net and tying it up. Both teams scored several times more, until a goal from senior Nolan Anderson allowed Archie Williams to take the lead. At the end of the first half, the score was tied 6-6, and the energy was at an all-game high as the teams retreated to their respective sides. 

The second half started at an even faster pace, with neither team backing down. Saint Francis won both the third and fourth sprints, ultimately securing possession and eventually claiming the win. The Falcons did their best to keep up, but after losing one of their primary defenders, Nolan, to his third ejection from the game, it became increasingly challenging to mount a comeback.  

During the final minutes of the fourth quarter, the Falcons followed closely behind the Lancers, with both teams generating multiple opportunities to score. Ultimately, the Lancers exploited the gaps in the Falcons’ defensive line, thus deciding the game. In a final attempt to narrow the deficit, the Falcons pulled goalie Josh for a seven-on-six play, but Saint Francis quickly stole the ball and scored an uncontested goal, sealing their victory.

“We will take this loss and grow from it. We definitely wanted the win, but they took us by surprise, and we will be ready next time, if we play them again,” Nolan said.

A final score of 11-16 disappointed the ArchieWilliams fans, but the players are taking a receptive approach. Players are working on improving both individually and collaboratively.

 “[We could improve on] better passing, communication, and separation,” said Archie Williams sophomore Beckett Kaye.

 Archie Williams boys water polo coach, Matthew Swanson, expressed his dissatisfaction more with the team’s execution than the final score, emphasizing areas where they could have performed more effectively.

“We played very bad defense. [Our plan was] to get our hands up in a shotblock, and we didn’t end up getting our hands up in any shotblocking,” Swanson said. 

In the aftermath of this riveting game, the Falcons look ahead to the upcoming crucial Marin County Athletic League (MCAL) games, their next one being Tuesday, Sept. 30, against San Domenico School.