The Pembroke Pines Charter High School boys’ water polo took on the Flanagan Falcons on Tuesday, March 20. The Pines Charter Panthers were the clear forerunners in the game, and despite a valiant effort by the Falcon defense, the Panthers dominated with a final score of 23-9.
In the first quarter, the Panthers scored 5 goals, and Juan Garcia scored one goal for the Falcons. This gap may not have been large, but it was just enough to keep the Falcons out of reach of catching up. During the second quarter, the Panthers scored another 5 goals, but the Falcons began to have a slight rally, with 2 more goals from Garcia and another from Harrison Barreto, making the score 10-4 at halftime.
At the start of the second half, the Panthers scored 7 goals in the third quarter, and while the Falcon defense was strong, with several steals and multiple blocks by goalie Jake Edelstein, it was not enough to stop the Panthers from scoring. By the end of the fourth quarter, the Panthers scored another 6 goals. The Falcons had two goals by Garcia and Arturo Valery, but the Panthers came out on top with a final score of 23-9.
All 23 goals for the Panthers were made by Shane Strump, Blake Kelley, and Ivan Katusa. Strump had 6 goals, Kelley had 8, and Katusa had 7. These three players are the reason behind the Panthers victory against the Falcons.