IRVING:  The Varsity Boys Water Polo team competed in the Irving Water Polo Classic on Saturday morning with a doubleheader against Dallas and Irving.  The Cardinals, coming off of their first win of the season at the Southlake Carroll Blue & Green Classic, a 17-6 victory over Nimitz, looked to continue their winning ways this past weekend.  

JPII opened up with an 8am contest against Dallas to kick off the meet.  The Dallas team, consisting of players from across Dallas ISD schools and a number of private schools, gave the Cardinals fits in their opening match.  Although JPII managed to find the back of the net five different times, their opponents found a way to eek out a 7-5 win. 

The shorthanded Cards bounced back in a big way in thieir second game of the morning against Irving.  John Paul II settled into its offense and worked the ball around as a handful of different Cardinals tallied goals.  Heading into the fourth quarter with a five-goal lead, it looked assuredly like JPII would capture its second win of the season.  Turnovers and defensive breakdowns spelled disaster for JPII in the final five minutes of play, as the Tigers came back to upset the Cardinals and win 15-14.  

Despite the losses, both games provided a wealth of coachable moments for the squad.  JPII now turns its focus to the second Hebron Hawk invite this season, as the Varsity Boys prepare for a doubleheader with Plano/Frisco & Richardson and the Varsity Girls will face Keller & Rockwall on Saturday, April 10th at the LISD Eastside Aquatic Center.