Pool Boys

Pali High Water Polo Team Defeats Granada Hills at Valley College to Capture Its 18th City Crown

By STEVE GALLUZZO | Sports Editor

Teammates were calling Aidan Moriarty the “brick wall” after his performance in the City Section Division I boys water polo finals  November 12 at Valley College.

The Palisades High goalie used cat-like reflexes to stop 12 shots—including four on one possession in the fourth quarter—and saved the day for the Dolphins, who held off top-seeded Granada Hills 8-7 to claim their 18th City crown—by far the most of any school.      

“Being a goalie is all about confidence… if you tell yourself you are going to block every shot, you will,” said Moriarty, who plays the same position in soccer. “I was just trying to give us a chance to win. It’s the best feeling in the world when you make those saves and your team cheers for you!”

Hudson Mirzadeh got the Dolphins on the board first with a skip shot 21 seconds into the contest. Granada Hills anwered with two quick goals but Mirzadeh and Reed Winters put Palisades up 3-2 and after the Highlanders tied it Winters ripped the back of the net on a five-meter shot to make it 4-3.

Palisades increased its lead to 6-3 by half-

time on long range shots by Mirzadeh and Sean Ellis and Mirzadeh’s fourth goal made it 703 early in the third quarter. When Moriarty got his arm out to deflect a five-meter attempt it appeared the third-seeded Dolphins (19-13) were home free but Granada Hills scored twice in the third quarter and again early in the fourth before Moriarty worked his magic, thwarting four shots from point-blank range in a span of 10 seconds to keep his team ahead.

Mirzadeh fought off a double-team to tally his fifth goal with 1:24 left but the Highlanders crept back within one 10 seconds later and nearly netted the equalizer in the final seconds but a shot clanged off the crossbar.

“After my first shot I saw an open pocket under the goalie’s arm and tried going there,” Mirzadeh said. “One million percent not putting us in the Open Division is a disrespect and we’re not gonna take that!”