It’s Waubonsie and Neuqua Valley boys water polo edition as this matchup hits the WV pool. The Warriors come in with a 9-3 record but are coming off an 0-2 stretch from the Naperville North invite. The Wildcats have lost four straight prior to this contest but those loses were only by a combined seven goals. This highlight is sponsored by BMO Harris Bank.
Neuqua jumps in front quickly
Both teams are in a 1-1 tie early on, so Declan Puacz from Neuqua Valley snares the ball and starts his dribbling. He dribbles, fights, and scores to break the tie.
Another possession and another goal for the Wildcats this time from Geno Valente who shoots it out of PJ Batzens range. That one makes it 3-1 in favor of the blue and gold.
Charlie Drohan start his attack
Warriors grab a goal to make it 3-2 before Charlie Drohan aggressively adds one for himself to tie this game up.
More from Drohan but this time he taps it in to put his troops in front 4-3. Plenty of offense in the early going.
We’re still scoring in the first quarter but it’s a different Waubonsie scorer in Aidan Meagher.
Warriors keep on attacking in the second quarter this time from Ben Meier who pulls the bunny shot. Waubonsie Valley takes a 7-4 lead heading into halftime.
Wildcats start the comeback
Neuqua starts the third quarter strong with Chris Cottrill who gambles on a long shot that puts his team within two goals.
We are now tied at 7 and Cam Censullo also goes long and he gets it to go, giving Waubonsie the lead back.
Nobody is satisfied with the score so Meier adds another one giving the green and gold their largest lead of the game at 12-8.
With the third quarter coming to an end, Wildcats get a much needed goal from Puacz to make the deficit three.
Neuqua continues this game of runs. Austin Olson puts in a goal here and all of the sudden we are deadlocked at 12.
Neuqua retakes the lead
Now the Cats look for the lead and once again, Puacz continues his assault on the net and the Wildcats take the lead 13-12. A great time for a 5-0 run!
Cam Censullo send us to extra time
Late in the fourth period, Cam Censullo ties the game up with a penalty shot, so we need more time to decide a winner. We will have two 3-minute overtime segments after a high scoring contest.
Big game for Puacz
Wildcats strike first in the extra session with Puacz dropping one of his eight goals on the night as this one put the visitors ahead 14-13.
The two squad trade goals and then Aidan Meagher puts another one into the back of the net to tie it up once again this time at 15 apiece.
Wildcat jump ahead for good
The Neuqua Valley players had ice in their veins all game. Geno Valente gets the call and fires that ball in to put the Wildcats in front 16-15 with under twenty seconds left in the extra time.
Warriors with one last chance but Censullo’s shot is off the mark and the Wildcats run out the clock and win it 16-15. What a game between the district 204 rivals.
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