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Top-ranked Flintridge Prep boys’ water polo falls to San Marino

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SAN MARINO – Perhaps it’s fair to say that the reign of the Flintridge Prep boys’ water polo team as No. 1 in Division V of the CIF Southern Section is in danger.

That’s because the Rebels lost to host and eighth-ranked San Marino, 12-8, on Wednesday afternoon in nonleague play.

The loss is only the second for the Rebels (6-2) and snaps a three-game winning streak.

“Well, rankings and power rankings aren’t everything,” said first-year Flintridge Prep coach Andrew Phillips, whose team tied for its season-low in goals. “No. 1, No. 2, even the best have a lot to work on.

“We missed 30 shots the entire game and we gave up at least eight counter-attack goals, so that’s an at least 16-goal potential turnaround. We just didn’t finish today. We’re human.”

Part of Flintridge Prep’s inability to finish came as the Rebels converted just two of seven six-on-five chances and had their lone 5-meter penalty try was blocked.

San Marino’s Dillon Goldsmith led all scorers with seven goals and handed the Rebels their largest deficit, 10-4, after a goal created off one of Flintridge Prep’s 16 turnovers with 5:13 left in the third quarter.

Despite missing on a man-advantage shot and having a 5-meter penalty stuffed, the Rebels clawed back into contention with a goal each from Hakop Kaplanyan, Kasen Barraclough (assisted by Kaplanyan) and Aiden Schraeder (assisted by Kaplanyan) to close to within 10-7 at the end of three.

While rally hopes were buoyed because of the 3-0 spurt, the Rebels again struggled to put away chances.

Flintridge Prep missed its first six shots of the fourth quarter, including going 0 for three on six-on-five chances.

Eventually San Marino (8-1) broke through Flintridge Prep’s defense as Goldsmith added two goals within a 21-second span to give the home team a 12-7 lead with 5:21 left.

Barraclough, who tallied four steals and tied for the team-lead of three goals with Ian Tien, netted Flintridge Prep’s lone score of the quarter as time expired to finish the 12-8 score.

“It’s a big win for our program against a very good team, but we also have a lot to work on,” said San Marino coach Robert Zirovich, a former Glendale High girls’ coach. “We could improve and you never know if you’re going to see this team again in the playoffs.”

Flintridge Prep trailed, 2-1, after one quarter but surged ahead for its only lead of 3-2 on a goal from Tien off an assist from Schraeder at 5:02 in the second quarter.

From that point on, San Marino outscored Flintridge Prep, 6-1, with five of those goals coming off Rebels’ turnovers.

The final of those scores came from Goldsmith with 50 seconds left in the first half, which gave San Marino an 8-3 lead.

Barraclough halved his team’s deficit with a goal with 35 seconds remaining as the Rebels trailed, 8-4, at the break.

Flintridge Prep goalie Conrad Oaks finished with eight saves.

“The best thing to take away from this is that if we missed 30 shots, we still put in eight goals, which is significant,” Phillips said. “This is a tough team in San Marino and we know we still have a lot of work to do.”

andrew.campa@latimes.com

Twitter @campadresports

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