Ripon boys water polo moving forward after graduation losses

Ty Wells ran his finger across the pages of his history book, making notes in the margin as he went.

The subject matter seemed fitting, considering the homework session took place poolside at the Ervin Zador Aquatic Center, just minutes before water polo practice.

Wells is a central figure on the Ripon High boys water polo team, a small group of eight players and a coach trying to separate themselves from the history-making bunch of yesteryear.

The Indians won 27 of 31 matches last season and reached the Sac-Joaquin Section Division II final despite having just one player on the bench.

Ripon was reduced to seven players in the final quarter of the D-II final, where it eventually fell short to juggernaut Rio Americano and its full complement of players, 16-15.

The Indians didn’t run out of gas. As Wells put it: Coach Erik Zador conditioned their “butts off.” A blossoming program like Ripon was simply outmaneuvered by a 10-time section champion.

“I kind of felt with them being a bigger team with a bigger bench and being defending champions, they were favored over us,” said Wells, who capped his fantastic freshman year with a trip to the CIF State Swim and Dive Championships.

“Since we were such a small team, we had to put in that extra work to keep up with a team like that.”

While many programs would embrace the momentum created by the unbelievable highs of a Valley Oak League title and section final appearance, Zador wants to be clear: 2014 is ancient history.

The Indians’ expectations this fall are tempered by another low turnout and a region growing in competitors. He is careful not to place too much pressure on a team breaking in two players new to the game.

“Last year’s group was good because we played together for a long time. They grew up together,” said Zador, the school’s year-round aquatics coach. “That was the initial start of what Ripon has for water polo; (it started) back when those kids were 13 and 14 years old.

“So a lot of those kids played together a long time. We had a special unit that jelled together really well.”

Zador will look to seniors Kole Gonzales and Darnay Mack to fill the void of graduated stars Zach Scudder and Nathaniel Gagnon.

Now a freshman at San Jose State, Scudder scored 126 goals en route to The Bee’s Player of the Year award. Gagnon had 94 goals and 14 assists.

Gonzales and Mack, a former football player, will be hard-pressed to replace that production, but Wells believes both possess the leadership qualities to steer the Indians.

Gonzales was second on the team in goals (99) and points (113).

“This year, it’s a little bit of a different dynamic. We lost two really key players and picked up a couple of players that have no experience in water polo and haven’t played with this group at all,” Zador said. “So it’s going to be a completely different dynamic. This year we’re trying to make the best of it, work with what we’ve got and try to be successful till the end so all these kids have a great season.”

Wells tallied 53 goals and 14 assists and was one of two freshman starters. The other was goalie Jacob Thompson (129 saves).

“Some people don’t think we’ll do as well with our two seniors gone, but I think it will be a lot easier for us being in a lower division,” Wells said of Ripon’s move to the newly formed Division III. “That will help us, but there’s still a lot of competition out there. We’ll have to be ready for anything that comes toward us.”

The pool of competitors is teeming with sharks, too.

Wells expects Sonora and Oakdale to make a dramatic leap forward. The Wildcats finished second in VOL play last fall at 5-3, with one of those losses a taut 15-13 decision against Ripon. Sonora’s season was stopped in the first round of the Division II playoffs by Dixon, 13-7.

Oakdale was 2-3 in 2014 but stunned Sonora in its final match, 11-10.

Though the dynamics have changed, Wells, ever the note-taker, said the lessons of last year will serve Ripon well in its hunt for a league and section crown.

After all, six of the eight players return.

“It taught us how to control the pace of the game, taught us how to work as a team. We know what it’s like to be that big-time team,” Wells said. “Our goal this year is just to keep it going.

“I believe we have a chance of getting back to the final, even if we go D-III this year. Even though we have two people with no real experience, they’ll learn quick and become strong parts of our team.”

This story was originally published August 28, 2015 at 7:00 PM with the headline "Ripon boys water polo moving forward after graduation losses."