MHS Boys Water Polo Prepping for Championship Defense

The Malibu High School (MHS) boys water polo squad has hit the water this summer to prepare to make another successful run in the CIF playoffs. 

The Sharks have a 2-1 record in water polo summer league games at MHS.

Malibu coach Mike Mulligan said June and July are key for the defending CIF Southern Section titlists because the players are able to work on individual skills and team defense. 

“The summer is basically when they are able to get individual skill work done,” Mulligan said. “In August, we are able to do all of our team chemistry and team bonding and a lot of our offensive strategies. The team chemistry builds up during the school year, whereas summer is individual skills.” 

Mulligan said one thing he expects to see in the coming season’s team from the title-winning squad last year is a change in offense due to different personnel on the team. 

“We will have to alter our defense as well, based on whom we have in the water,” he said. “That is always a little bit of a challenge, finding a new offense and defense to work with the players you have.” 

The defending champions’ 2015 season will begin in September. This year’s team will look a bit different than last year’s because a stellar group of eight seniors graduated, including five of the Sharks’ seven starters. 

Last year’s team finished the season with a 24-4 record in route to the championship win over Segerstrom High last November. Malibu also went on a 13-game winning streak last season. 

However, the Sharks success wasn’t all due to departed players. Mulligan said a group of upperclassmen seem ready to assume the leadership roles left behind by graduated Sharks. 

Those players include Hans Cole, Phil Campanella, Kai Schultz, Charlie Djiker and Spencer Sinding. 

Cole and Campanella were All-CIF first team members last season. All five have been effective players in the past for the water polo squad. 

Their coach said he has already seen them taking a leadership role during the summer. 

“We are looking for someone to be the quarterback of the team during the game, taking charge,” Mulligan said. “I want two or three of those guys to be good role models during practice.” 

This summer, the Sharks have defeated Royal and Alemany high schools in the water. They were defeated by Santa Monica High by two goals. 

Mulligan said 30 players are participating in water polo practices at the school and 15 are also playing with the Bruin Water Polo Club at Pepperdine.

“Some of them are getting a couple of workouts a week,” he said. “Some of them are getting five workouts a week.” 

Malibu has seven summer games left, including two home games — July 15 and 22. The squad has will play five games at the Samohi Water Polo Tourney at Santa Monica High School on July 10 to 12.