Alta Loma Water Polo Advances to CIF Quarterfinals

Alta Loma advanced to the CIF Southern Section Division 2 quarterfinals with a decisive victory.

The Lions defeated Bonita 13-7 in a second-round playoff match Tuesday at Alta Loma High School.

Alta Loma enters the next round with a 20-12 season record.

The team previously beat Bonita 11-9 in a tournament game on Oct. 9.

Freshman goalie Logan Barrett anchored the defensive effort.

Barrett made five saves in the first quarter.

He stopped three of four penalty shot attempts against the Bearcats.

Bonita coach Dillon Unsoeld noted that the early stops changed the dynamic of the game.

Alta Loma led 3-1 after the first quarter.

Jeffry Heaton scored the only Bonita goal in that period on a penalty shot.

Heaton missed an earlier penalty shot by hitting the post in the first minute.

The Lions built their lead in the middle portion of the game. Alta Loma scored six consecutive goals between the final five minutes of the second quarter and the third quarter. That run turned a 4-3 lead into a 10-3 advantage. Bonita missed two additional penalty shots during that stretch, with one saved and one hitting the post. Barrett left the game with 1:15 remaining, allowing six of Bonita's seven total goals. The offensive production for Alta Loma was spread across several players. Hayden Barrett, Jordan Stute, Jackson Brumbaugh, and Owen Verkaik each recorded two goals. Coach Kristin Rodriguez said the team expected Brumbaugh to be a threat because he scored eight goals in their previous meeting. She stated that the lineup includes two sophomores, two juniors, and a mix of seniors and freshmen. Rodriguez described the team as progressing well together despite the age gap. Bonita focused its defense on limiting Heaton's impact. Heaton finished with a game-high three goals but did not score in the second half. Unsoeld said his team missed early opportunities but remained proud of the effort. Rodriguez and her husband Alex are both Bonita graduates who previously coached there. Rodriguez mentioned that several Bonita alumni attended the game and asked whom she was cheering for.