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Ripon boys capture 2nd straight outright title
WP--Kimball-Ripon pic
Ripons Kole Gonzales sets up for a shot against visiting Kimball on senior night Wednesday. - photo by Photo by SHANNON ESENWEIN

RIPON — Kole Gonzales and the Ripon boys water polo team celebrated senior night and a second straight outright claim of the Valley Oak League title Wednesday with a 16-4 rout of Kimball Ervin Zador Aquatic Center.

Ripon’s girls team struggled with its top scorer sitting out most of the game, as Kimball rolled, 14-6.

Gonzales led the Indians (6-0) with five goals and three steals. Daniel Esenwein scored four times and assisted three. Diego Moreno added two goals and two steals before taking over as goalie (two saves) in the fourth quarter. Ripon won up comfortably, 15-3, after three periods.

Nick Delgado, Noah Esenwein (four steals), Darney Mack (six saves), Ty Wells (three assists) and Nick Gagnon each scored once.

The Ripon girls squad (3-3) struggled to keep up with the playoff-bound Jaguars after senior Hannah Sweet was tagged with three exclusion fouls at the start of the second quarter. That was Kimball’s cue to take over, as they stretched a 4-3 lead to 10-5 by the halfway point. Ripon was outscored 10-2 in the middle two quarters.

Andria Martin led the scoring with two goals. Amber Scheid, Alexia Urias, Chloe Winter and Sweet chipped in one each. Kyra Foley blocked four shots.

The Sac-Joaquin Section playoffs begin next Wednesday, Nov. 4 for the boys team.