MORGAN HILL -- The Sobrato boy's water polo team brushed aside winless Silver Creek on Wednesday, pulling away in the second half after the plucky Raiders waged a 6-4 tie at the break.
Jared Mammen scored a game-high seven goals, Marc Barats added four and the Bulldogs won 16-6 in a Blossom Valley Athletic League game at Sobrato High School. The second-place Bulldogs improved to 5-1 in the Santa Teresa Division standings, keeping pace with undefeated Independence.
The victory clinched a season sweep over Silver Creek (0-6 BVAL) but it seemed in doubt after the back-and-forth opening half.
"We were getting a little nervous," Sobrato coach Paul Harris said. "We played this way last time against Silver Creek and won, too, though. We just had to stick with our game plan and pick up the intensity. They surprised us."
The Raiders scored first in the second minute of play when Brian To fired a shot past goalkeeper Sam Paveza. The Bulldogs countered quickly with a no-look shot by Will Watson to make it 1-1, and took the lead on Mammen's first goal off an assist by Roy Anderson.
Silver Creek answered with a To-assisted goal by Wilson Eng, but Sobrato pulled ahead 3-2 with another goal by Mammen. The Raiders' Anthony Johnson netted first of three goals with 49 seconds left in the first quarter to make it 3-3.
"We weren't comfortable at all after that first half," said Paveza, who made seven saves. "We have a great offense. I knew they were going to give us enough goals to win in the second half. I just needed to step up."
The Bulldogs never trailed again after Mammen's third goal -- a wide-open shot off of a crossing pass by Ben Pan. Johnson evened the score at 4-4, but Mammen struck again with 2:48 left in the second quarter, putting Sobrato in front for good.
"Jared Mammen had a big game for us," Harris said. "Jared and Marc are guys that can score goals when we need them."
Barrats netted his first goal with 38 seconds left before the half and added his second in the third quarter and two more in the fourth.
Shabaz Aslam and Robert Foo found the net in the fourth quarter, and Watson tallied a goal with one second left in the game to complete a hat trick.
Paveza and Danny Thompson finished with three assists for the Bulldogs, who outshot Silver Creek 18-8 in the second half.
Sobrato continues league play at home Wednesday against Evergreen Valley.
In girl's action Wednesday at Sobrato High School, the Lady Bulldogs fell 6-3 to Silver Creek, dropping to 4-2 in the Santa Teresa Division.
Freshman Eve Okamura scored two goals and Nika Burnett one for Sobrato, which hosts Mount Pleasant on Wednesday.
Scott J. Adams Scott J. Adams covers Morgan Hill sports for South Valley Newspapers. Send him an email or call him at 779-4106.
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