Bobcats swim hard but fall short

By Mike Selecky
Posted Thursday, September 18, 2008

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By Michael Selecky
VIEW Sports Writer

TROY — With its introduction to international waters in 1900, men’s water polo became the first team sport in Olympic history, along with cricket, rugby, football, rowing, tug-of-war and standard polo. What’s even more amazing is that the men were making global waves for an even century before the women’s teams were given the same status at the 2000 Games in Sydney, Australia.

While it may have taken political protests from the Australian women’s team for the sport to finally make it’s way into the mainstream of modern competition, the boys’ water polo team at Grand Blanc was putting up a fight of its own last Thursday at Troy, where the Bobcats fought valiantly only to end up on the short end of a 9-7 decision.

“It was a back-and-forth game and an exciting fourth quarter. We had many opportunities to take control of the game but missed out on them,” said Grand Blanc coach Dan Command. “It was a hard-fought contest and my team gave it their all.”

Topping the charts for the Bobcats’ offense was Mike Hicks with a hat trick, followed by Tim Sippell with two goals and Victor George and Brett Dryer each scored once.

This year has been one of peaks and valleys for Grand Blanc, starting with a season opening 9-5 loss on Aug. 26 at Birmingham Seaholm. The Bobcats then went on to host Troy Athens on Sept. 2, where they dominated all phases of the game en route to taking an impressive 15-4 victory.

Tuesday the Bobcats were scheduled to play at Ann Arbor Huron but the game was cancelled.

Grand Blanc is now 1-2 overall. They next play today at home against Walled Lake Central, next Tuesday Seaholm comes to town for a rematch and Troy will do the same on Sept. 25.