Cathedral new king of the hill (CHS Water Polo)

To win their school’s first boys water polo title, Cathedral Catholic goalie Stephen White and his fellow defenders had to protect a one-goal lead through the fourth quarter of the Division II final last night against Coronado. The Dons didn’t let up. White finished with 10 saves and had a key steal in the final minute to secure a 6-5 victory at La Jolla High’s Coggan Pool as Cathedral became the first school other than Coronado or Bishop’s to take the Division II crown since Grossmont in 1996. “Down to the wire, you have to get in it and stay in it,” said White, part of a lineup that included six starters back from last year’s semifinal qualifier. “There’s just no better way that you can end something like that.” The top-seeded Dons (24-4) prevailed even though they didn’t score after senior Steven Perdew recorded his third goal to increase their lead to 6-4 with 5:22 left in the third quarter. At the final buzzer, a defensive double-team by Perdew and Chris Fahlsing prevented any Coronado shot. “At the end, it was the best feeling in my life,” Perdew said. “I’ve been waiting for it so long.” Rex Butler had three goals and goalie Garrett Sabesky made 10 saves to spearhead the second-seeded Islanders (22-9), who absorbed a one-goal loss in the final for the second straight year. Read the entire Union Tribune article here.