LA CAÑADA FLINTRIDGE — Entering Thursday's match, the Flintridge Prep water polo team controlled its own destiny.
A win would have put the Rebels into the CIF Southern Section Division VI postseason. A loss would heavily hinder those chances.
Their fate is no longer in the Rebels' control after losing at home to Chadwick, 8-5, in their final Prep League match of the season.
Now Flintridge Prep (18-10, 4-4 in league) must sit and hope that Chadwick (4-2 in league) losses its two final matches of the season, which would force a tie between the two teams.
If not, the Rebels' season is officially over.
"We need help, but we are not technically done yet," said Rebels Coach Adam Branson, whose team lost to Chadwick by one goal earlier in the year.
Flintridge Prep started the match like a team determined to extend its season.
After Chadwick's Eric Choi scored just a minute into the match, the Rebels answered immediately, as Jordan Randall and Daniel Madora found the back of the cage midway through the quarter.
That would be the Rebels' only lead of the match however, as the Dolphins scored two more goals before the end of the first to take a 3-2 advantage.
The second quarter saw Chadwick outhustle Flintridge Prep, as it seemed to come up with every loose ball.
"The first quarter we came out really strong," said Branson, who got a team-high two goals from Madora and Max Armand. "The second quarter, we started sitting around and didn't get the movement."
The Dolphins outscored the Rebels, 3-1, in the second quarter as Choi added two more of his match-high five goals, giving his team a 6-3 advantage at halftime.
The second half became a defensive stalemate, as both teams struggled to get anything productive in the way of offense.
The Rebels were unable to make up the three-goal difference to tie, as they mustered only two goals the final 14 minutes.
"There was no reason we couldn't put that game away," Rebels defender Bobby Lincoln said. "It would have been a lot easier if we won and got in."
But now the agonizing waiting period begins for the Rebels, who plan on practicing and preparing for playoffs in the meantime.
"I will be disappointed if we don't qualify for playoffs," Branson said. "We've shown that we can beat any team in this league."
