San Diego ties run deep on Navy’s men’s water polo team

With the Naval Academy men’s water polo team setting anchor in town this weekend, it’s been a homecoming for the squad’s 10 local players.

The 20th-ranked Midshipmen (1-2) are opening the season here, and in their second game Saturday in the Triton Invitational tournament at UC San Diego, they topped Occidental 18-6 for their first victory of the year.

Then it was onto a team dinner hosted by junior Kiefer Black, a La Jolla High School grad, at his home ahead of two more games Sunday.

“It’s awesome coming home from the East Coast,” said Black, whose first-quarter goal gave him 300 career points, becoming the seventh player in school history to reach that milestone.

“Fans and families come out to support the team. It’s a great experience.”

Two years ago, the pipeline from the Navy town that is San Diego to the academy included three local players on the roster, with two more at prep school in preparation.

“It’s all about that pipeline, and when these guys are (younger) and they see guys that they admire going to the Naval Academy, it gives us attention,” Navy coach Luis Nicolao said.

“It makes them ask the question why they are looking at Annapolis. Then I think it speaks for itself when they learn more about it.”

Five Midshipmen hail from Cathedral Catholic, headed by senior goalie Jack Hightower. Three more are said to be on the way next year.

“It really started with Jack Hightower,” said fellow Dons alum Maddox Garrahy, a sophomore, who was among the 12 players to score against Division III Occidental (0-4). “He’s been a big inspiration to all of us, and he’s shown us what it can be with the opportunities at the academy.”

In addition, there’s the benefit of having long-term teammates.

“It’s really helpful,” Garrahy said. “The academy can be challenging, so it’s a network who you can talk to and who know you already. Water polo-wise, too, we know each other well.”

Black, a two-time All-American honorable mention, already stands as the third player in team history to have multiple 100-point seasons. He set a school record last year with 77 assists to go with 97 goals.

Ahead of this season, Black helped the USA men’s youth national team earn a silver medal in the U20 World Championships in Croatia in June.

“It’s a huge honor to live in the legacy of Navy water polo and keep playing my game,” Black said. “Also, I learned a lot with the national team this summer. I’m getting bigger, stronger and faster.”

Valhalla grad Ryan Munch, who rested against the Pirates, has become the Navy mainstay in goal as a sophomore. “It’s all about the team,” Munch said. “The team pushes you to be the best you can be, to be accountable. They pushed me to be best I’ve ever been, and we just keep pushing every day.”

The local Navy players found some foes of old playing for Occidental, Bishop’s grad Max Stone and Eastlake alum Zane Derrod.

The Midshipmen fell to seventh-ranked Pepperdine 14-12 in their early game Saturday. On Friday at Coronado High School, they lost 20-8 to top-ranked UCLA, the defending national champion.