Wheeling adds numbers, stops Prospect

A good boys water polo team got a little bit better on Tuesday.

Wheeling, already a force with dynamic junior Nate Reiff playing at a very high level, added top-notch players in Kyle and Jake Noel - and just in time for a key Mid-Suburban East matchup against Prospect.

It was a bit too much for the Knights on this night, as Wheeling earned a 12-6 decision to strengthen its position in the MSL East race, improving to 4-9 overall but 3-0 in the division. Don't be surprised if it comes down to these two teams battling it out for the right to play in the MSL title game later this spring.

The Noel brothers only recently rejoined the water polo world after finishing strong swimming seasons, and the effect was clear from the beginning, as Jake scored on his first 2-meter set and Kyle also played effectively, scoring twice.

Reiff finished with 7 goals and generated plenty of chances for his teammates.

What pleased Wheeling coach Rudy Means most, however, was defense.

"Prospect is a very good team, and to go 2-2-0-2 (by quarters) against them, I'll take that," he said. "The main thing having the Noels back does for us is it builds in some depth."

Such as Kyle getting a third-quarter breather, then having him playing well against a Prospect team quite capable of generating counter-attack goals thanks to an above-average swimming ability level.

Sam Gabriel and Isaac Ginnodo will be a handful for a lot of teams this season, but with Reiff a constant scoring threat as well as a defensive menace, it will have to be chalked up as a learning experience for the Knights (2-2, 2-1). For one thing, even slightly better shooting would have made a big difference in the final score as Prospect generated quality attempts but ended giving the crossbar quite a workout.

"We've got a lot of things we can work on," said first-year Prospect coach Steve Grzybek. "But I like a lot of what I'm seeing. I think we can be a pretty well-rounded team."

Reiff, meanwhile, is happy to have the Noels rejoin the starting array and looks forward to bigger and better things as the season progresses. With continued quality goalkeeping from Arthur Oganezov, the Wildcats have a sense that it could be a fun few weeks of water polo ahead.

"There's a certain outlook the team needs to have to play its best," said Reiff, "and I really felt like we had that today."