Soquel High's boys water polo coach Trevor Wiens didn't have high expectations heading into the season. He started with a small, eight-player roster after a few seniors he thought might play didn't try out.
Any way you dice it, the Soquel High and Santa Cruz boys water polo programs played each other even in four meetings this season.
But the players and coaches' faces told the real story: It's not about how many times you beat your rival, it's about winning the most recent meeting.
Santa Cruz High's boys water polo team returned to the site of its last league loss and earned some redemption on Saturday. More than that, actually, the Cardinals prevailed 8-6 on in their grudge match against rival Soquel to claim the Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League Tournament title.