Water Polo and Field Hockey Section Championship Games Are Also Today

Event: Section Water Polo Final

Teams: Coronado (24-4), Poway (22-2)

Time, Place: 7:30 p.m., La Jolla Jewish Community Center

Coronado edged University of San Diego High, 6-5, to win last year’s championship, and Coach Randy Burgess has won the title three times in his six seasons at Coronado. But this year, he wasn’t sure his team had the talent to make it to the championship game.

“I’m quite surprised by our success,” he said. “Without a doubt, there have been many teams that we’ve had that have had more talented individuals. But (the players) made a decision that they would come together and really create something this year and that’s what they’ve done.”

Creator No. 1 is center forward Tom Mitchell, a junior who leads the Islanders in scoring. Seniors Brian Kissell and Rob Williams also are standouts.

Poway has been equally successful and is blessed with a bona fide star: Chuck Snay. He was MVP of the Palomar League and leads the team in scoring with 95 goals.

Throw in Chuck’s younger brother, Jay, a strong defensive player who is one of three sophomore starters, and Todd and Jason Kroepel, another pair of talented brothers, and Poway appears invincible. But Coronado won a match between the two, 9-8, 3 weeks ago.