The aquatics program at Crescenta Valley High School has been enjoying much success, with recent CIF championships in girls’ water polo and boys’ swimming in recent years. The CV boys’ water polo team almost made it another banner year, but fell in the Division IV CIF championship game Nov. 14 in Irvine to Righetti High School 11-2.

It was Righetti’s second consecutive championship. The Falcons, who last won a CIF title in 2008, finished one game shy of the final last season.

Vasil Halchev and Reagen Hesse scored the two goals for CV, which finished 26-7 and won the Pacific League title for the second year in a row. Halchev’s goal late in the first quarter gave Crescenta Valley the lead, but the Warriors tied it before the end of the first, and in the second quarter they scored four unanswered goals to put a stranglehold on the game, and the championship.

Falcons’ goalkeeper Logan Goddard recorded seven saves. Righetti previously beat CV in October 8-6 in a nonleague matchup. The Falcons defeated Culver City 19-5 in the first round then edged Arroyo Grande 7-6. In the semifinals they beat Santa Monica 10-7 to set up the date with Righetti.

The Falcons were coached by Jan Sakonju.

  Sandy HESSE