Lessons learned by Falcons

LA CRESCENTA — With some of the members from the 2008 CIF Southern Section Division VI championship team having recently graduated and others competing in club tournaments around Southern California, the Crescenta Valley High boys’ water polo team could be excused for looking like a shell of its former self.

Only a handful of the players who helped win the program’s first CIF championship last fall in Irvine were present, leaving Crescenta Valley Coach Jan Sakonju to due a bit of shuffling with his lineup.

While some combinations were formed, Crescenta Valley still fell, 20-8, in a Falcon Tournament contest Friday afternoon at Crescenta Valley.

“It’s nothing that we haven’t seen before,” said Sakonju, the reigning All-Area Boys’ Coach of the Year. “There’s a great opportunity for those who don’t get much playing time to learn.

“I thought we had some good moments doing things. We’ll see what we got [today] and Sunday.”

Crescenta Valley, which captured the Pacific League championship last season and bested Rio Mesa in the CIF title match, never led against La Serna. The Falcons, who lost reigning All-Area Player of the Year pick Tristan Winterhalter to graduation, received a team-best two goals from senior-to-be hole/set Chris Veselich.

Jordan Adajar, Zachary Horton, Shiraz Arslanian, Josh Chi, Nicholas Rapose and Daniel Olson each scored one goal for Crescenta Valley, which competed without starting goalkeeper Rane Colvin and hole/set Alan Dearman. Colvin and Dearman, who were selected to the All-Area second team last season, were both taking part in a club tournament in Santa Barbara.

Veselich, who scored 56 goals and posted 50 steals last season en route to being named to the All-Area first team, said it will take some time for the Falcons to come together through the summer.

“We lost some of our offense, so we are going to look for other people who can step it up,” said Veselich, who scored both of his goals in the first half. “We want them to be able to define their roles.

“We had a lot of guys [Friday] who don’t normally play a lot, so now they can get some valuable time and experience.”

A goal by Chi cut La Serna’s lead to 8-6 with 2:32 left in the second quarter. La Serna then scored three straight goals to build an 11-6 halftime lead.

In an earlier tournament match, Crescenta Valley suffered a 9-8 loss to Sherman Oaks Notre Dame. Veselich, Horton and Michael Bryson Chang each scored a pair of goals for Crescenta Valley.

The Falcons will meet Temple City at 10:50 a.m. today, followed by a contest against El Segundo at 3:25 p.m. Crescenta Valley will face Agoura at 12:40 p.m. Sunday, followed with a closing match against South Pasadena at 3:25 p.m.