Canyon Crest wins water polo championship

Canyon Crest Academy won the Division 1 water polo championship with an 11-10 overtime victory over Poway.

A five-goal second-half deficit didn’t deter Canyon Crest senior Ryan Bruhn and his teammates.

Bruhn forced overtime by converting a flashy backhand shot with 12 seconds left in regulation and added his fourth goal of the game in OT to help propel the fourth-seeded Ravens past Poway for their second crown in four years.

“We just kept our composure,” said Bruhn, also a member of the 2018 title team. “We knew that if we brought ourselves together and pushed it through, then we could do it. It was just perseverance.”

Canyon Crest (13-16) took its only lead with 2:25 to go in the second of the two required OT periods when Alessandro Ipson recorded his only goal.

Jack Falshing opened the OT scoring for No. 3 Poway (20-11) on a penalty shot with 1:18 left in the first extra session. Earlier, the Titans held a 9-4 edge midway through the third quarter but were blanked in the fourth period by Ravens goalie Nick Urich, who finished with 15 saves.

The Ravens also received four goals from Justin Kam, who assisted as well on the last score.

— Glae Thien is a freelance writer for The San Diego Union-Tribune