M. Water Polo: Quartet of players earn all-conference recognition

Aiden Parra (1) and Julian Alamanza (6) were both named 1st Team All-South Coast Conference
Aiden Parra (1) and Julian Alamanza (6) were both named 1st Team All-South Coast Conference

After a season where the Cerritos College men's water polo team posted a 21-12 record and finished third in the South Coast Conference, four of their players were named to the all-conference team. Sophomore goalie Aiden Parra (California HS) and freshman Julian Almanza (St. John Bosco HS) were selected to the 1st Team, while sophomores Christian Acosta (Schurr HS) and Isaiah Wright (Whittier HS) received 2nd Team honors. It was the second season in a row that Wright was named to the 2nd Team.

Parra started 30 of the team's 33 games this season and posted a 17-12 record, while making 281 saves and recorded 58 steals. His 281 saves are the fourth most in a season since 2000 and he concludes his career with 337 saves, which are the ninth most by a Falcon. On the year, Parra posted a season-high 14 saves against San Diego Mesa College and Mt. San Antonio College and finished the season with 10 or more saves in 15 games.

Almanza led the team in every statistical category, which includes goals (98), assists (76), steals (92), blocks (25) and shots (195). His goal total is the seventh most in a season by a Cerritos player since 2000, and is now third in assists and steals in a season. Almanza also finished 13th in the state in goals, tied for fourth in assists and second in steals. He scored at least one goal in all but one this season, which included a season-high six goals against Santa Monica College and Cabrillo College, while he also had five or more goals in two other games. 

Wright concluded the season with 46 goals and added 54 assists and 46 steals, which included a season-high four goals against Merced College and Mt. San Antonio College and three in five other games. Wright also finished with a career-high six assists against El Camino College and posted four helpers in three other games. Acosta was second on the team with 89 goals, while he also assisted on 31 goals and led the team with 65 exclusions drawn, which is tied for the eighth more in a season for the Falcons since 2000. It also ranked as the 10th most in the state this season. Acosta scored six goals against San Diego Mesa College, Saddleback College and the Scottsdale Masters Team. He also assisted on a career-high five goals against Mt. San Antonio College.