The San Diego Mesa College men’s water polo season gets underway today as the team travels north to Newark, California to participate in the Ohlone College Mini. The team is scheduled to compete against Ohlone College and Las Positas College.
After finishing third in the conference in 2018, head coach Nathan Resch has a lot to look forward to with a mix of veterans and exciting young players.
Sophomore Brendan McMahon, a first team all-conference member, returns for his second year after a stellar 2018. “He can do it all as true utility player,” states Resch. “Brendan creates offense through his own opportunities which in turns opens up chances for other players. We can also turn to him to own specific defensive alignments.” McMahon was recently named team captain for the upcoming season.
Another player that will play a significant role this season is Roman Rosser, also member of PCAC 1st team all-conference. Rosser is considered by many one of the top defenders in the conference. He brings versatility on both sides of the ball; his size and tireless play will provide another offensive threat and is an absolutely lock down defender in the pool.
The ‘quarterback’ of the team, Eric Orozco will also be returning. The team assists leader, Orozco makes the team go. ‘He’s a light’s out shooter,” explains Resch. “He’ll be fun to watch and witness his growth from his freshman year.”
Finding the right combinations of young and old is always a challenge. With so many different personalities and skill sets, success is often defined by team chemistry. Three freshmen who will be competing for the first time this year are Jason Grindle, Jake Rose, and Jackson Cassidy.
Jason Grindle out of Torrey Pines High School is an outstanding offensive threat and defender. His style of play will compliment the retaining core of players. His vision inside the pool and ability to create will be a great asset to have.
Jake Rose, a graduate of Eastlake HS brings tremendous quickness and explosiveness to his play. Another versatile offensive threat, he can produce a lot of scoring many different ways.
Jackson Cassidy graduated from University City High School has a wealth of playing experience and moves through the water with power and ease. His decision making and shooting has already seen tremendous growth which again compliments our other returning pieces.
In front of the net will be Kyle Bos, Angelo Ryan, and Trey Peitsch. All three goalkeepers are solid, and each has proven they are ready to step up and lead. Even more important, the fact that each player continues to improve at this point in time is key.
The next six days will determine and shape the 2019 season. The Olympians are scheduled to play six games in three days. Coach Resch believes in figuring out and understanding how each player interacts with the team. “We are excited for the upcoming season,’ adds Resch. “The next six days we will learn about each other and hopefully find our footing as a team. I expect us to be competitive in every contest and be in a position to win every game. We are all excited to open the season competing against the best Northern California teams this weekend.”
With a combination of returning players and exciting freshmen, this year’s team should be able to compete against anyone. The team will start off against Las Positas who has a great history of great coaching. They’re in rebuild mode but have already defeated quality Northern California teams. Ohlone this season may have the best team they’ve produced in years. Similar to Las Positas, they also have defeated quality opponents early in the season.