10/26 – Andover: 5, Brunswick: 15
10/26 – Andover: 7, Deerfield: 5
10/30 – Andover: 7, Exeter: 21
Last Saturday, during Family Weekend, the Boys Varsity Water Polo team faced a doubleheader against Deerfield and Brunswick. They then took on Exeter in their annual Andover/Exeter game the following Wednesday.
Both Ethan Zhu ’26 and Andrew Cai ’27 commended Co-Captains Zach Godsey ’25 and Jason Kokones ’25 for their exceptional defense and strong leadership throughout the course of each match.
“The key players were Zachary and Jason as they were, most of the time, defending Deerfield’s best player, while also giving out commands and making sure that the team was updated and knew what to do and where to move and where to help on defense,” said Zhu.
Saturday’s first game was against Brunswick, who secured a decisive win. While Cai highlighted the importance of Co-Captains Godsey and Kokones in maintaining a positive mindset when faced with defeat, he also stressed the collaborative nature of the sport.
“I just like to shout out my captains Zachary and Jason for their leadership, but the game is more of a team effort. There’s no specific play or players that I would really like to mention,” said Cai.
Despite losing to Brunswick earlier in the day, Water Polo bounced back, beating Deerfield to end their Saturday 1-1. Zhu added that the team had more control and composure during this game, leading to their victory.
Zhu said, “We won the game, bouncing back from our loss against Brunswick earlier in the day. We had a lot more coordination, and we were actually able to control a little bit more control and instead of being chaotic. So many of our plays were more calculated. Overall, it was just a good game.”
With the games being played during Family Weekend, Zhu said the atmosphere created by friends and family during the games was special. In addition, the support and hard work of the other players created a strong and supportive environment during the games.
“The atmosphere was much better than some of our other home games, as many parents and friends were there to cheer us on. As for teammates, everyone was cheering each other on, supporting each other, getting enough playtime, and contributing to the team as much as they could. So overall, the atmosphere was really, really good. It was one of the finer home games that I had,” said Zhu.
Returning from Family Weekend, Varsity Water Polo suited up for the final time this season against historic rival Exeter. Manager Ariana Zhao ’25 noted that, although the team had initial doubts, they played well, especially in the later stages of the game.
Zhao said, “I’d say that the game went well. It got a lot better as it went on because the team went into the game probably doubting themselves, but as the game went along, especially the third or the fourth quarter, it just got better and better, so I thought it was good.”
The team found their form towards the end of the game. Zhao added that the team managed to string together some steals, penalties, and goals, allowing Boys Water Polo to take control of the game for a period of time.
“There was a period in the fourth quarter where there were a consecutive number of really good plays, whether that was a good setup that led to a goal or a couple of good steals. Many players drew penalties, so they were able to get an advantage during their possession. So there was just this one period, especially in the fourth quarter, where everything was going really, really well,” said Zhao.
Boys Water Polo will play in a tournament next Friday.
