It is Bryan Lynton’s first season back as the head water polo coach at Murrieta Valley High School. You know, the coach that guided the boys’ water polo program to 19 consecutive league championships and seven appearances in CIF Southern Section title matches. Also, the same coach that led the girls’ water polo program to 15 league championships with six trips to the section finals. Lynton and his boys won Southern Section titles in 2006 and 2015, and captured titles in 2007, 2008, 2011, 2012 and 2016 with the girls.
Lynton, who arrived at Murrieta Valley in 1998, stepped away from coaching at the high school level after the 2016 season. Over the past five years, he has worked with the USA Water Polo U-18 Men’s National Team and is still currently the technical director for USA Water Polo’s Olympic Development Program. Chris Boyer, who is now an assistant for Lynton and helps operate the Elite Water Polo club, guided both Nighthawk programs for the past three seasons.
This year, in his first season back, Lynton, and the Murrieta Valley girls’ water polo team not only won another title in the Southwestern League, but swam their way through the postseason, posting a 20-14 overall record. The Nighthawks were victorious over Centennial (14-4), Woodbridge (10-5) and Downey (6-4) in the playoffs. Murrieta Valley was looking to add that 21st win this past Saturday, Feb. 18, at the Woollett Aquatics Center in Irvine when they faced Millikan High School, who got to the finals with wins over Camarillo (21-6), Riverside Poly (7-6) and Dana Hills (15-6).
In the first quarter, Murrieta Valley got out to a 3-1 lead with goals from Kristen Alexander, Amy Pearce and Mackenzie Wood, but Millikan would answer back late in the quarter behind an Avery Jensen score. The Rams would then even things up when Faye Garcia and Jensen scored goals in the second quarter. Wood would add another goal with 2 minutes left in the half, giving Murrieta Valley a 4-3 lead at the break.
On the opening possession of the second half, Millikan’s Jennine Osorio drew a penalty shot that Jensen would take for a chance to even the score, which she did from about 15 feet out. That’s when Kaili Boyer and Elizabeth Hernandez drew energy from the crowd, scoring goals less than a minute apart to give Murrieta Valley a 6-4 lead after three quarters. Hernandez would score again in the fourth quarter to extend the lead to 7-4.
The Nighthawks were aggressive on defense, limiting Millikan’s shot attempts up close, which forced them to shoot from the perimeter most of the match. Though Millikan ended up outshooting Murrieta Valley 39-21 throughout the match, Nighthawks goalkeeper, junior Jaden Soto, was a force to be reckoned with. Soto had 22 saves (11 in each half), but by far her highlight was when she blocked a second penalty shot by Jensen with five minutes remaining. The other Jensen in the water for the Rams, Larsen, would score a pair of goals to get them within one point at 7-6, but it wouldn’t be enough for Millikan as time ran out.
The Division 2 title win this past weekend is now Murrieta Valley’s sixth CIF Southern Section title, and first since 2016. Next up, the Nighthawks will focus on winning a CIF State regional championship. Murrieta Valley is the No. 2 seed in the Division 2 regional and hosted Grossmont from the San Diego Section in a first-round match at home Tuesday, Feb. 21.
It wasn’t the best start for Murrieta Valley, who were facing a three-goal deficit early on. But, the Nighthawks didn’t stress out. Instead, they toughened up their defense and put their faith in goalie Jaden Soto, and Elizabeth Hernandez, who scored a match-high five goals. Soto would have 10 saves in the match while teammate Mackenzie Wood led Murrieta Valley with six steals.
The Nighthawks will now welcome Millikan in a regional semifinal match this Thursday evening. It will be a rematch of the CIF Southern Section’s Division 2 championship they just played. Matches are at 5 p.m. unless otherwise noted. (Sites and time are subject to change.)
JP Raineri can be reached by email at sports@reedermedia.com.
