Fourteen league title placards adorn the pool deck at Malibu High School. A program rich in tradition and history, the Malibu boys water polo team will look to add number 15 to the wall by successfully defending its back-to-back league championships this upcoming fall season.
“The kids can look up on this soffit here and see the championships and understand that there is a lot of pride in the program,” Malibu Coach Michael Mulligan said recently, pointing at the titles. “Hopefully they feel they are contributing to it and can continue the success the program has had.”
The Sharks are currently in the midst of “hell week”—practicing twice a day—as they prepare for the challenging season that lies ahead.
“The boys have a great bond. We kicked off hell week with a team taco night,” said Mulligan, who begins his 22nd season at the helm. “The team gets along really well. We are totally excited about this season.”
After finishing the 2011 campaign with a 21-7-1 overall record and advancing to the quarterfinals of the California Interscholastic Federation playoffs, Mulligan initially thought this year’s squad might have a tough time matching the success of years past. But after a strong summer showing, Mulligan feels the Sharks have now improved enough to contend for another league title.
“We had a really good summer. My expectations weren’t very high because we brought in seven to eight new guys who have never played varsity,” Mulligan said. “But after training three times a week for 10 weeks and playing games, our team chemistry and continuity has really come together. There is a lot of confidence in the pool with the team.”
Malibu finished in second at the Santa Monica Tournament and in fifth place at the powerful Arroyo Grande Tournament, where teams from all over California came to compete. The Sharks also hosted a Wednesday night summer league each week where they played teams such as Santa Monica, Agoura, Westlake, Moorpark, Rio Mesa and Notre Dame.
In order to “three-peat” in the Tri-Valley League, the Sharks will need a quartet of players to step up and deliver this year.
Seniors Dane Sartorius and Morgan Hathorn will anchor the team on the defensive side. Sartorius, a goalie, and Hathorn, a two-meter defensive specialist, bring a defensive presence that Mulligan thinks is the strength of this year’s squad.
“This will be one of our better defensive teams. They play solid, tenacious defense, which has keyed our offense a little bit,” Mulligan said. “Dane is one of the better goalkeepers around. He has stepped into a leadership role, which is so important as a goalie. Morgan is a diamond in the rough. He adjusts to game situations very well.”
Replacing the offensive scoring of Michael Mitze from a year ago will be Mulligan’s toughest test. Seniors Emmit Pierson and Jordan Clarke will be asked to step up to fill the void.
“Emmit plays with a lot of tenacity and understands the strategy of the game. He is a coach in the water,” Mulligan said. “Jordan is vital to our set offense. We want him to touch the ball every possession.”
In addition, Mulligan expects a positive impact from sophomores Alec Wilimovsky and Owen Franz, both of whom played junior varsity last season.
Malibu enters the season ranked number three in CIF-SS Division VI. The Sharks will scrimmage Agoura and Santa Barbara on September 4 in a pre-season matchup of top teams in their respective CIF divisions. Then it’s on to the Conejo Classic at Thousand Oaks High School on Sept. 7 and 8, where more than 30 teams will battle for superiority.
“Hopefully we do well in the Conejo Classic and we can get on to a good roll going into league,” Mulligan said. “Winning a league title will be tough. Oaks Christian is really strong. They will be our main threat this year.”
League titles are the norm for this MHS sports program. The Sharks won 11 consecutive league titles from 1994 to 2004 under Mulligan’s guidance. But reaching the CIF championship game and winning the title is the ultimate prize.
“They understand it’s a big deal to do well, work hard, and bring home league titles,” Mulligan said. “If you are lucky enough to get that elusive CIF title that would be fantastic. I want to get back to the CIF finals. I think this team has the capability of doing that.”