Boys’ varsity water polo has made their aspirations for this year loud and clear: win the Ocean Division league title. But they put their money where their mouth was in their first game of the season on Wednesday, Sept. 13, leaving no doubt about their dominance in a 21-2 blowout victory against Mills High School.

The squad practiced together all summer long, both in the pool and in the gym, and those two months of preseason preparation has certainly paid off.

Burlingame got off to a strong start, setting the tone for the rest of the game. The crowd was right there with them, cheering as Burlingame jumped out to a 5-1 lead after the first quarter. Young sprinters Adrian Gong, Oliver Canniffe, and Justin Chiang gained possession of the ball on every 12-yard dash at the start of a quarter, providing Burlingame with constant offense. Set player Matthew Derossett controlled the game with a clear strategy in mind — prevent Mills’ most vigorous competitor from scoring.

“Mills has a really strong set player, so our goal was to shut him down,” senior Sam Punter said. “We knew that coming into the game, so we had one of our players, Matthew, sacrifice his offense to guard their strongest player…. They put up two points the entire game so it benefited the team because without him, Mills had very little mobility and ability to score.”

That tactical and calculated approach is demonstrative of the team’s camaraderie. Their chemistry and active communication were also evident on offense, as precise passes kept the Viking’s defense unprepared.

“We had a lot of good drives, and the countering was amazing. Being a freshman, I have played with a lot of starters and better players and have felt improvement,” freshman Lucas Carlson said.

Carlson and Gong were crucial to the team’s victory. Both scored five goals each, and Carlson excelled at set, blocking opposing shooters while maintaining control of the ball on offense. Like Carlson, Gong played unselfishly, constantly driving the ball and giving assists to other players to shoot. As varsity captain this year, Gong has demonstrated true leadership, both in and out of water. 

“One thing that I thought we had throughout the game was chemistry. There was always chemistry no matter who was out there and that really helped us work together as a team,” Carlson said.

What made the Panther’s chemistry especially impressive was the last-minute, temporary addition of several junior varsity (JV) players to the varsity roster. The newcomers were highly critical to Burlingame’s success, with freshmen Carlson, Damien Gong, and Chiang combining for eight goals in the contest. Freshman goalie Colby Dang made his mark, playing solid defense and blocking all attempted shots, including a free 5-meter shot, to keep Mills off the scoreboard. 

“We’re looking at a great season this year and trying to go undefeated,” junior Rocco Brajenovic said. “I think we have one of the best chances we’ve had in years to qualify for CCS and take the win.”