There was a 100% chance of ash flurries and physical play on Saturday at the LBSU Campus Pool as Long Beach Wilson welcomed Riverside Poly for the CIF Southern Section Playoffs fourth round.  Under a thick layer of brush fire run off, the Bears controlled the tempo and the Bruins, coming away with the 9-6 victory that ends Wilson’s season.

“Our guys played hard,” said Wilson coach Tony Martinho.  “We had our chances, but that Poly goalie did a great job.  He was the best in the pool today.”

Riverside Poly goaltender Gavin Wild controlled the game from the get go, making two big stops in the first quarter on his way to 13 for the match.  Scott Yocum lead the way for Poly with three goals, while Bryce Baumstark and Clayton Boling added two apiece.

Wilson relied heavily on their perimeter offense, almost to a fault. 

“We didn’t move up,” said Martinho.  “We didn’t fill the lanes and we had too many shots from too far away.”

A lot of that had to do with the Poly defense, and of course, Wild in the cage.

With the score 2-0 Poly after the first quarter, Wilson came roaring back with back-to-back goals from Daniel Tyner to tie it up.  After a Wilson exclusion, Poly coach Casey Finfrock called a very important timeout.

“Wilson came right back at us in the second quarter,” said Finfrock.  “We had to slow them down… that was all Wild, though.  He really controlled the pace of the game.”

Wild was under control indeed, as he quarterbacked the Poly attack from his own cage.  He routinely hit his teammates in stroke with beautiful passes that kept Poly’s counter attack potent, and Wilson on its heels.

Out of the all-important timeout, Baumstark went high for his first goal to make it 3-2 Poly, and the Bears would not relinquish the lead again.  The halftime score was 4-3 Poly, and two Yocum goals in the third quickly made it 7-3.

But Wilson showed poise and stayed patient.  They started filling those lanes, and Tyler Kennedy fought for space in front of the Poly cage.  He led the way for the Bruins with three goals on the day, and his two in the third got Wilson within two, 8-6, headed into the final period.

However, the Bruins couldn’t find the key to beating Wild, and Poly held off Wilson’s late charge for the 9-6 victory.