Lions in an unfamiliar role

JANN HENDRY/Acorn Newspapers POWER ARM—Oaks Christian's Alec Follmer fires a shot on goal during an early-season match against Villanova Prep. With only one returning starter, the Lions have posted a 12-6 overall record. This season the Oaks Christian boys' water polo team has played well enough to earn a 126 overall record and a 4-1 mark in the Tri-Valley League. The Lions are ranked 10th in the CIF-Southern Section Division IV coaches' poll.

Not too bad for a bunch of newcomers.

Although the Lions are once again a force in the pool, first-year head coach Larry Mouchawar still calls this season a "rebuilding year," a term typically devoted to teams such as the Los Angeles Clippers, Kansas City Royals and Detroit Lions—but never Oaks Christian.

"When I took this job it was a tough decision because I knew it would be a rebuilding year," Mouchawar said. "I call it a rebuilding year only because the team returns just one starter from last season, and we have five sophomores in our starting lineup.

"That being said, I do think next year we will be one of the top teams in the area. Maybe even one of the top teams in CIF."

The Lions, who've won three consecutive league championships, lost 2007 Tri-Valley League co-MVPs Tyler Reardon and Michael Craft to graduation.

Collin Baratte, a senior, is the team's lone returning starter, but OCHS has had success because of the play of its sophomores.

"At the start of the year, I knew it might be a tough season because I was so used to winning with the other guys," Baratte said.

"I told myself that I couldn't get too frustrated and that I had to be patient. In a way, it feels like I've been a parent."

Junior Jet Reich credits the sophomores for being a big reason for the Lions' success.

"The younger players have done a great job picking up the slack," Reich said. "If they didn't have the courage or strength they've had, there is no way we'd be playing as well we've been."

Mouchawar said the most impressive sophomore has been goalkeeper Travis Radke.

"I believe (Radke) is one of the better goalies in the Tri-Valley," Mouchawar said. "He already has about 100 saves, and he's shown a lot of natural talent. He's saved us in a lot of close games."

Another sophomore who's playing well is Alec Follmer, who, along with Baratte and Reich, contributes about 90 percent of the OCHS offense, according to Mouchawar.

Baratte said a big reason for his offensive output and the team's ability to learn on the fly is because of its new coach.

Mouchawar played college water polo at UC Santa Barbara and is the program's alltime leading scorer with 244 goals.

"Coach Mouchawar has been playing water polo his whole life, so he knows the game just about better than anyone," Baratte said.

"One of the biggest reasons for us playing better than people expected is (our coach). He really pushes us hard in practice."

Mouchawar, who trained with the United States national team from 1985 to 1994, took the Oaks Christian job in June after former head coach Stuart Craft decided not to return after guiding the Lions for four seasons.

"I took the job because I wanted to do my part in helping the school," Mouchawar said.

"I helped on some technical stuff last season as an assistant coach, so when the opportunity came to be the head coach I thought it would be great to give back to the community."

In practice, Mouchawar has been stressing fundamentals.

"In July, when we began our practices, we just started from scratch," Mouchawar said.

"I've been teaching the allaround fundamentals—what's right, what's wrong, knowing where to throw the ball, things like that. We base our offense on three players and our defense as more of a team defense."

The advice has paid dividends. Through its first five league games, Oaks Christian's lone loss was to Malibu, which is ranked second in the CIF-SS Division IV coaches' poll.

"Are we ahead of where I thought we would be at this point in the season? Yes, definitely," Mouchawar said. "I believed after 18 games we would be something like 9-9, at best."

Baratte would like nothing more than to win a CIF title in his final year at OCHS.

"Oaks Christian is kind of known for CIF championships, but one of the only sports we don't have one in is water polo," Baratte said.

"Every year the team's goal is to go further than the year before, but it would feel great to win a championship and represent the school in the best way."