THE JOURNAL & TOPICS NEWSPAPERS | THURSDAY, MAY 1, 2008
Knights Fall To Cougars In Title Game
By DWIGHT ESAU
Journal Sports
There's no doubt about it, Conant's first Mid Suburban League water polo championship was a convincing and overwhelming one.
Unleashing an unrelenting attack led by Mike Varga, Blaine Grzegorek, and John Hansen, and smothering almost all Prospect attempts to get the ball in close to scorers Sean Hanson and Charlie Mau, the Cougars routed the Knights in the Conant pool, 14-6, Wednesday night (Apr. 30).
It was close for a quarter, 3-2. Conant goals by Varga, Hansen, and Grzegorek were almost matched by scores from John Hanson and Tim O'Grady for the Knights. In the second period, however, the Cougars opened up a 7-3 lead on two quick goals by Varga and two more by Grzegorek and Hansen. Meanwhile, Cougars Yuki Morita and Mike McGuire were intercepting most Knight passes close to the Conant goal, and what Knight shots were getting through were usually blocked by goalie Tony Passaro.
In the third period, Varga scored three more goals and Grzegorek one and the quick Cougar defense held the Knights scoreless. Conant opened up an 11-3 lead and coasted home, using substitutes the last two minutes of the final quarter.
Varga scored 6 goals, Hansen 4, Grzegorek 3, and Gregg Longo 1 for Conant. Tim O'Grady and John Hanson scored twice each for Prospect, and Matt Reiner and Mau added a goal each.
Conant now is a strong favorite to win its second straight IHSA sectional and qualify again for the state's elite eight finals at Stevenson on May 15-17.
The Cougars were undefeated this spring against MSL teams in a 25-4-1 season, and the Hoffman Estates sectional, where the Cougars are top-seeded, is made up entirely of MSL teams.
Prospect bows out at 15-7 with an MSL-East championship, its first since the Knights split off from the combine with Wheeling two years ago.
Cougar coach Erik Hauser praised Prospect as a "good, improved team," but he also said he was confident the Cougars would win.
"We prepared well and the guys worked hard," he said. "We knew we had to contain Mau and Hanson. We shut them down pretty well. We beat them before (14-4 early in the season) and we scouted them a lot. We lost in the first round at state last year, but I believe we're ready and better this year. We look forward to doing some damage in the post-season."
The Cougars open the sectional on Wednesday, May 7.