Hamdorf’s Season Had Ups and Downs

Ken Hamdorf, the Golden West College men’s water polo coach, has led teams to nine consecutive state titles, so one would figure the seasons might start to run together by now.

Hamdorf said he won’t have any trouble remembering this year, but not because it ended Saturday with a 15-4 victory over West Valley in the championship game.

The main reason is because he had to deal with much more than coaching duties. Hamdorf, who has a 361-38-1 record in 12 seasons, missed seven games because of abdominal surgery. He went into the hospital the same day his grandson, who was born with a spinal problem, came home.

The mood of the Hamdorf household perked up when Golden West won the title Saturday at Ohlone College in Fremont.

“Everything is going well,” Hamdorf said. “I’m feeling fine and the little guy has already dodged a bunch of bullets.”

The victory over West Valley completed a 36-0 season in which the Rustlers won the South Coast Conference and the Southern California title. Only one team came as close as two goals. Peter Janov was the Southern California player of the year and Robert Grayeli and Mike Peetz also were all-Southern California first-team selections.

Hamdorf feared his team might become overconfident.

“You worry about that,” Hamdorf said, “because we play so many teams a bunch of times in a year that they will figure your team out. But thankfully that hasn’t happened yet.”

Golden West gave up more than six goals only once in the final 16 games but beat Long Beach, 25-11, in that contest.

Hamdorf usually tells his players to take a low-key approach to the Southern California championship game at Long Beach Belmont Plaza and focus on the state tournament. But Hamdorf changed this year and encouraged his players to celebrate heartily because it was the last chance to play locally.

Hamdorf’s main worry in the state tournament was the opening game Friday against Merced. The contest was at 7 a.m. under a dark sky and Golden West struggled early, leading, 4-2, at the half. But the Rustlers picked it up in the second half and won, 13-3. Golden West beat Citrus, 12-6, in the semifinal round later the same day.

A few hours before the title game, Hamdorf showed the team videotapes of the accomplishments of previous teams and a short highlight tape from this season.

“Then I told them they had to go finish the season with their best game of the season and they did,” Hamdorf said.