Cabrillo High School boys’ athletics is in the midst of its most successful year ever since opening its doors in 1995.
Boys’ water polo reached the first semifinal in school history in November, and the boys’ soccer program will play its first semifinal on Saturday at Riverside Poly. The Division 2 matchup is set to kickoff at 2 p.m.
Cabrillo (21-2-4) has also reached three CIF quarterfinals in the last five years, but isn’t taking one extra win for granted, and 20th-year coach Pat Noyes brought the water polo team out to training on Friday to talk with his team.
“We want these boys to realize this stuff doesn’t happen that often,” Noyes said. “You have to take advantage of things. You don’t want to say I woulda, shoulda, coulda.”
The soccer team will also wear the water polo parka jackets on the sideline like they did on Wednesday night during their win over Fountain Valley.
“We have to keep going,” Cabrillo senior Hugo Rojas said. “It doesn’t stop here. The point of this is if you win the ring or not.”
Cabrillo is very familiar with Riverside Poly (15-6-2) because the Bears beat Long Beach Poly in the second round last week.
Noyes worked with LB Poly coach Eric Leon at Long Beach City College, and said he received a detailed scouting report. Riverside Poly is a very organized side with game-changing forwards in attack like senior Jio Martinez, so the Jaguars defense will be tested once again. Cabrillo has limited its opponents to only 12 goals in 26 games this season.
READ MORE about the Cabrillo defense
