The Acalanes JV Boys Water Polo team continued their undefeated season Saturday in Novato, delivering a dominant 19–0 victory over the Novato Hornets.
From the opening minute, the Dons were in control. Theo Penn wasted no time getting Acalanes on the scoreboard, scoring within the first minute. Luke Wellen followed with a smooth finish into the corner, and the Dons closed out the first quarter with a 5–0 lead.
The scoring continued in the second quarter, but it was the Dons’ defense and passing game that really stood out. Brady Pigeon battled through a defender before firing a shot above the goalie’s hands. Spencer Salfen and Finn Butler combined for strong defensive pressure, forcing a difficult shot that ended up in Ryan Graff’s hands.
The Dons repeatedly turned defensive stops into fast breaks. Theo Penn, Alexander Mura, Brady Pigeon, and Ryan Graff all connected on quick transitions, while Colin Henitz and Connor Dunton added to the scoring. One particularly impressive sequence saw Alexander and Theo steal the ball with just seconds left on the shot clock, transition to Ryan, then to Luke, who got a shot off with just one second remaining.
By halftime, Acalanes had built a commanding 11–0 lead.
Then came the coaching staff’s surprise move: Ben Paulsen took over in goal, while Ryan moved into the field to help the Dons’ offense.
Ben immediately made himself comfortable in the cage, making several impressive saves and blocks. His teammates appeared particularly committed to protecting their new goalkeeper—not to mention his apparently very important upcoming Homecoming photos.
The Dons continued to move the ball effectively in the third quarter. Ryan drew defenders and created opportunities for teammates, while Spencer, Theo, Colin, Connor, and Brady continued to pressure the Hornets. Theo found Spencer in the middle for a powerful finish, and Colin added another goal after his first attempt was called back.
The defense remained relentless. Ben made another big block, then quickly turned defense into offense with a strong pass down the pool. The Dons continued to share the ball and create opportunities from every direction.
Acalanes entered the fourth quarter with a 15–0 lead and, naturally, introduced yet another wrinkle: Brady Pigeon in goal.
Finn immediately showed his speed by winning the opening drop ball, and the Dons continued their strong defensive play. Theo added another goal after a hard-fought possession, while Ryan, Brady, Connor, and Luke continued to create scoring opportunities.
As the fourth quarter progressed, the Dons slowed the pace, spread the pool, and patiently worked the ball around until teammates found open space. Luke eventually found himself wide open in the middle and calmly finished the opportunity.
The final goal came after another patient possession, with Ben finding a teammate in the middle, and Ryan finishing the play with a goal.
When the final whistle sounded, the Dons had completed a 19–0 victory.
The victory showcased the depth and versatility of this Acalanes squad. Players contributed on both ends of the pool, the ball moved consistently from teammate to teammate, and the Dons found ways to generate offense from fast breaks, set plays, defensive steals, and patient possessions.
And apparently, when you have a 15-goal lead, you can also experiment with turning your field players into goalkeepers.
The Dons remain undefeated and are making quite a splash.