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Waterdawgs win first league game
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Eric Scudder and Joey Rossi both scored four goals and Justen Harper made 12 saves as the Ceres High boys water polo team opened the 2004 season with a 12-9 victory over the Modesto High Panthers in Ceres on Thursday.

"Not bad for a first game," said Ceres coach Sonja Raynes.

"I was real pleased with the team play."

Added Modesto coach Christine Zador: "We weren't pressing up on No. 5 (Rossi) and they also had counterattacks. That was our biggest problem throughout the game."

Mike Polovin had two goals and Jason Weststeyn and Kyle Fliflet each tallied one goal for the Bulldogs, who improved to 1-0 in the Modesto Metro Conference.

Daniel Chin scored a game-high five goals and Nathan Bennett, Cody Hartman, Lance Casey and Riley Mills added one goal apiece for the Panthers, who fell to 0-1 in the MMC. Modesto goalie Mark Vanderwall had nine saves.

Ceres led 3-1 at the end of the first period.

Rossi, Weststeyn and Fliflet each had a goal.

Chin scored for the Panthers.

Chin helped Modesto cut Ceres' lead to just one, 6-5, heading into halftime. He scored four goals in the second period.

"We had the game from the very beginning," said Scudder, who accounted for all three of Ceres' second-period goals. "I wasn't worried at all."

The Bulldogs outscored the Panthers 6-4 in the second half, including 4-2 in the third period. Rossi scored twice. Scudder and Polovin scored once. Bennett and Hardman scored for Modesto.

Casey's goal cut Ceres' lead to 10-8 with 6:45 remaining. Rossi and Polovin responded with back-to-back goals. Mills scored the game's final goal.

"It was a defensive battle for the last five minutes," Raynes said. "Nobody scored."

Varsity girls lose

Lauren Griffin had three goals and Sarah Willems and Tristin Long had one goal apiece during the Ceres High girls water polo team's 12-5 loss to the Modesto High Panthers in Ceres on Thursday.

"The girls did a good job," said Ceres coach Lesley Willems. "This is the first time they've all played together in a game."

Ceres goalie Amanda Arrollo had eight saves in three quarters. - By DALE BUTLER / Staff Reporter of The Ceres (Calif.) Courier