Malibu team goes for gold

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Malibu water polo players, (back row, from left) Dax Nittolo, Chris Stahr, Phillip Campanella, Spencer Sinding, (middle row) Coach Hayden Goldberg, Hans Cole, Charlie Dijker, Isaac Vandor, Bodhi Schulz, Jake Ney, Jake Durrant, (front row) Anthony Nanula, Kai Schultz, Max Ney and Lucas Gorak, prepare to take on the Junior Olympics. 

Local boys water polo team Malibu is set to compete in the Junior Olympics later this month, representing the City of Malibu and the Malibu Water Polo Foundation. 

The team, coached by Hayden Goldberg, began its journey last December with the end goal of playing in the Junior Olympics. Throughout the winter, the team played in the Ventura County League, where it earned first place in the final tournament, as well as finished third at Winterfest 2013. 

Seeded 20th out of 27 teams in the qualifying tournament for the Junior Olympics, the team navigated a crowded field that included Los Angeles Water Polo, Rose Bowl, Buena, Cerritos and Commerce to make its way to the final. Thanks to a suffocating defense, Malibu defeated South Bay Peninsula in the final to advance to the Junior Olympics. 

The team is made up of Malibu High School players who are age 16 and younger. 

Goldberg has coached the players from when they started playing in Malibu Youth Water polo. He is the coach of the JV boys and varsity girls water polo teams at Malibu High School, as well as Malibu Youth Water Polo.