Boys Varsity Water Polo Ends Best Season in 8 Years as Division II Runners-Up

The Redwood Rangers Boys Varsity Water Polo ended up as the runner-up in the Division II Central Section playoffs. Players share their thoughts on their playoff run and their season overall.

By: Lucas de Lima

After dominating their East Yosemite League season with a 10-0 record, the Redwood Rangers Boys Varsity Water Polo team earned the number 2 seed in the Division II bracket for the Central Section playoffs.

The Rangers began their playoff run with a dominant 23-4 victory over the number 15 seed Tulare Union Tribe on Wedneday November 6th at the Golden West High School pool. #10 Jake Bettencourt, ’25, led the Rangers in scoring with 5 goals and 2 assists, and goalkeeper #1 Weston Rawson, ’26, made 13 saves and added 3 assists of his own.

Regarding the opening round win over the Tribe, #11 Brett Peterson, ’25, says, “We started off kind of slow, but we picked it up towards the second and third quarter and we really came out and played really well, so [I’m] pretty happy [about the game].”

In the quarterfinal round, Redwood was matched up against the number 7 seed Bullard Knights, who they played on Saturday, November 9th, again at the Golden West pool. The Rangers pulled off a close win by a score of 10-8. Leading the way was #4 David Ross, ’25, with 5 goals and an assist, and Rawson with 17 saves and 3 assists.

This was the second time this season the Rangers faced the Knights. Their previous encounter was a 14-5 victory for the Rangers on Tuesday, September 10th in their first home game of the season. You can read my coverage of this game at https://redwoodgigantea.com/varsity-boys-water-polo-heads-into-bye-weeks-on-winning-streak/.

Redwood opened their quarterfinal game with a 4-0 lead after the first quarter, before fending off a Bullard comeback.

“We came out really hot in the first and second quarter, and we kind of died third quarter, but we were able to pick it up and beat them fourth quarter, so it was pretty good. We came back strong,” says Peterson on the game against the Knights.

For the semifinal round, the Rangers would play against the San Luis Obispo Tigers, again at the Golden West Pool, on Wednesday, November 13th. Redwood played out a comfortable 12-6 victory, securing themselves a spot in the Division II championship.

The Rangers had previously beaten the Tigers at San Luis Obispo by a score of 8-7 on Thursday, September 12th.

“We played them before, so we knew what we were going into for that game, we knew who their good players were, what kind of offense and defense they would run, and so we came into it really prepared and ready to win,” says Peterson on the rematch against the Tigers.

In the Division II Central Section Championship, the Rangers were matched up against the Garces Memorial Rams, a familiar foe. The Rangers had previously lost to the Rams in the quarterfinals of the 2023 Division II playoffs, by a score of 17-7, when the Rangers were the number 11 seed and the Rams were the number 3 seed.

This year the Rams were the number 5 seed, but it would unfortunately yield a similar result. Redwood would fall short of the Valley championship with a 11-9 loss at the Sierra Pacific High School pool in Hanford on Saturday, November 16th.

Redwood would end the season with an overall record of 24 wins and 8 losses.

Speaking on the game itself, #14 Nathan Webster, ’26, says, “That was the best polo we’ve ever played. Garces is a great team. I think if we played Garces ten times, we would win five, they would win five. That was probably one of the closest games Redwood has ever played. [Overall], great polo.”

This was the Rangers best playoff run since 2016, when the number 2 seeded Rangers fell to the number 1 seeded Porterville Panthers in the Division II championship game 15-3.

“I think we had a good playoff run, going D2 is crazy, and being runners-up for D2 is even crazier. I mean it would have been awesome if we won, but I think we are right where we needed to be. We played our best,” says Webster on Redwood’s postseason run.

The Valley championship game was the moment of a lifetime for many. #15 Hunter McLennan, ’25, says, “I thought I was going to be nervous, but honestly I got in there, and it felt right, it felt like where I was meant to be. I was tired, we practiced every single day for like the past three weeks, but I felt all my training in the past four years really paid off.”

“It was a great season. The best season and team I feel like Redwood has had in a long time. I’m proud of us. We did good,” says McLennan on his overall thoughts on the historic Rangers season.

Redwood was unable to play at the Frank Bell Community Pool for any of their first three playoff games, when home-pool advantage can make a big difference, due to the pool falling short of hosting standards for the CIF Central Section playoffs.

McLennan expresses his dissatisfaction with the Redwood pool: “We need a better pool. This pool sucks. We can’t even use lane lines, [and] our goals go into the walls. It’s all bad, we need to get some water goals.”

On a more positive note, Webster reflects on his favorite moment of the season: “Going to Oregon with the entire team. Oregon was beautiful, we went to Foster Lake. Camping in a tent was so much fun with the boys.”

This would end up being Head Coach Major Rogers’ last season coaching the Rangers. Rogers is retiring after 12 seasons of leading the Boys Varsity Water Polo team.

“Major is a great coach, and an even better mentor. He’s taught us all the life skills that are important, that we would just have to learn the hard way. His sense of humor and personality was a big part of his coaching style, and that’s what helped me grow this season. He’s probably been one of my favorite coaches or mentors ever. Major Rogers is a very special character, [one] that I will never forget,” says Webster.

Webster looks forward to a new era for Redwood Water Polo, especially the “practices. Practices are going to be really good. Our new coaches are Jack Felsted and Colton Boyd, they’re some good coaches and that’s what Redwood needs. These next few years, I know I’m not going to be here after next year, but we’re going to be a team that you do not want to reckon with.”

“It was a great season. The best season and team I feel like Redwood has had in a long time. I’m proud of us. We did good.”

#15 Hunter McLennan, ’25

Tags: rangers, Redwood, redwood gigantea, redwood high school, redwood journalism, redwood playoffs, redwood rangers, redwood sports, redwood water polo, rhs, rhs playoffs, rhs water polo, visalia ca