THE PREPS : 4-A Water Polo Playoffs : Tustin Regroups and Knocks Off Millikan, 11-8

Last week left Coach Tony Choquehuana wondering what was wrong with the Tustin High School water polo team.

Apparently nothing that a little practice couldn’t cure.

The Tillers finished the regular season with back-to-back losses to University and Foothill. And this was a team that was ranked as high as second in the Southern Section 4-A poll.

“I have no idea what was wrong with us last week,” Choquehuana said. “We lost some close games and didn’t play that well. So it was important that we got off to a good start in the playoffs.”

It didn’t take the Tillers long.

Tustin scored 3 quick goals and then held off Millikan for an 11-8 victory Friday at Tustin in the first round of the 4-A playoffs.

“I think the fact we had 4 consecutive days of practice for the first time in a month helped,” Choquehuana said.

Goalie Eric Grove, who made 14 saves, agreed.

“Usually we have a lot of fun in practice, joking around and stuff,” Grove said. “That changed this week. The last 4 days it has been very serious.”

Tustin dominated play early in the match, leading, 3-0, at the end of the first quarter.

Mike Mulry gave Tustin a 1-0 lead 2 minutes into the match with a goal from the left wing. His goal came while the Tillers were a man down and put Millikan (15-7) on the defensive.

With 2 minutes 18 seconds left in the quarter, John Billings took a pass from Chris McCurio in deep and beat goalie Jason Green to the left for a goal. A minute later, McCurio dumped a pass off to Peter Herman inside for another goal.

“We did a complete 180 in the last few days,” Grove said. “We realized it was the playoffs and it was time to start playing well.”

For nearly 3 quarters, Tustin’s offense was very efficient. Of the Tillers’ first 15 shots, 10 were for goals.

Millikan rallied twice, pulling to within 5-3 in the second quarter and 6-4 in the third quarter. But Tustin (18-10) pulled away on 2 goals by Jay Warren and 1 by Josh Routon.

Most of Tustin’s offense came on power plays. Millikan had 8 players ejected for 35-second penalties and Tustin scored on 4 of the power plays.

In another 4-A first-round match:

Foothill 8, University 6--Brett Cowdell scored 3 goals to lead Foothill (19-4) at Tustin High School. The score was tied, 5-5, at halftime, but the Knights held a 7-6 lead after 3 quarters and then shut out the Trojans in the final quarter. Adam Mush scored 2 goals for Foothill.