One more for the road

Steve Virgen

When Bob Shupp came back to coach water polo and swimming at Costa

Mesa High three years ago he said he would only do it for two years

before retiring. But something kept him from leaving, something kept

him from retreating to his ranch in Montana.

He wanted to work with the young players for just one more year.

As a result, the Costa Mesa boys water polo team’s season will be

much about Shupp’s final year, but in his eyes it’s always been about

the kids.

“I connected with the kids and we had a real fine year with

swimming, that’s why I wanted to come back,” said Shupp, whose family

lives in Montana but he is renting an apartment in Costa Mesa. “I

came in with a group of freshmen and it would be tough to walk out on

them, so I decided to stay with the kids for one more year.”

It also doesn’t hurt that the Mustangs are at their best since

Shupp first arrived, and the participation numbers are up. Costa Mesa

has not had a junior varsity team in the past four years, but the

Mustangs will have one this year because there are 14 players in the

program.

The Mesa varsity team is also poised to contend for one of the top

three spots in the Golden West League. Saddleback appears to be the

favorite, Shupp said, but after that the parity-driven league will

feature a battle for the other two spots that advance to the CIF

Southern Section playoffs.

However there are areas of concern that need to be corrected.

Shupp saw some positives, but also mistakes in the Mustangs’ first

two games, both losses, last week.

“We’re still looking for a leader,” said Shupp, who coached the

program from 1977-85 before coming back three years ago. “We have a

lot of quiet guys. We also turn the ball over too much and turnovers

have equated to the losses. We’re just at the point where we need to

protect the ball a little more and take the pressure off our counter

defense. We’re working hard on controlling the ball right now.”

The Mustangs lost to El Modena, 12-9, and Tesoro, 12-10, last

week. Sophomore Kyle Thorsness led Mesa with seven goals against El

Modena and four against Tesoro. The performances solidified Shupp’s

belief that Thorsness is one of the reasons why there is so much

promise for the program’s future. Mesa defeated Fountain Valley, 9-8,

on Wednesday and Thorsness added five more goals for a season total

of 16.

“He’s a big kid for a sophomore (6-foot-1, 170 pounds),” Shupp

said. “He really has a nice mentality for the game and he doesn’t get

rattled. We’re expecting a lot out of him and he’s been able to

deliver so far. He’s going to be a great one; there’s no doubt about

it.”

Senior Brian Tipton is also expected to be a key contributor this

season. He scored four goals in the loss to Tesoro. Brian Knox, a

goalie, is Mesa’s only other senior and he will be aided in goal by

junior Matt Jaroslowski.

Shupp, who coached the boys and girls swimming teams to Golden

West League titles last spring, said he will be replaced by Tim

Postiff, the girls water polo head man, who will take on both teams

next year. Shupp will retire after the swim season this spring.

He is looking forward to the Golden West League season, especially

the game against crosstown rival Estancia, which is Oct. 21 at Costa

Mesa.

“It will be another one-goal game, just like the past two years

(in which Estanica won),” Shupp said. “We match up pretty well. And

when you talk about crosstown rivalries and the things happen with

that, that makes it closer yet.”