Boys water polo: Fremd wins defensive struggle against Barrington

Defense was the name of the game at Fremd on Saturday, as the top-seeded Vikings welcomed No. 2 seed Barrington to decide which team would represent the Mid-Suburban League in the state tournament's Elite Eight.

In a game where quality scoring chances were limited, it seemed fitting that the decisive goal in overtime came after a somewhat random turn of events, and not the result of a missed assignment or a disputed call.

Tied at 5-5 entering the last half-minute of the second mini-OT session, a Barrington turnover led to a close-range shot. The rebound carried out to center water for Fremd senior Robert De Pau, who was without a defender and took full advantage, zinging the winning shot into a corner with 16 seconds left.

Fremd's 6-5 victory in the sectional championship game puts it into the Elite Eight for the first time since 2012.

De Pau finished with 3 goals, Alex Nicholas had 2 and Dylan Assmann 1 for the Vikings (25-5), who meet New Trier in a 4:30 p.m. Thursday quarterfinal at Stevenson.

Tom Derken and Mitch Gavars both scored twice for Barrington (27-6), and John Fischer had 1 goal.

Assmann said senior confidence was the key to Fremd eventually emerging victorious.

"In a game like this, every goal just seems huge, so you can't get too upset when something doesn't go your way," he said. "I think the guys we have, our understanding of one another and how to work together as a team, really helped us out today."

Fremd got the game's first 2-goal lead when Nicholas scored on a penalty shot with 5:17 left in regulation, putting the Vikes up 5-3.

Derken answered with a goal from the wing on the next possession, and Gavars tied it up for Barrington as the end of regulation approached.

The Broncos got stellar goaltending from Jack Krieps, including a save on a penalty shot in OT, and rock-solid play from 2-meter defender Kamil Jerominski throughout.

"I thought we really came a long way as a team this year," said Gavars, a junior who was a starter on last year's conference champion and state-qualifying team who will return along with Fischer and several other key players for Barrington next year. "This year, it seemed like it took us a while to put it all together, but I think having last year's experience helped a lot. I'm just really proud of what we did."

De Pau pointed to the shared experiences he's had with teammates Nicholas and Assmann as one key to Fremd's advancement.

"We've played a lot together over the years," he said. "The trips to J.O.'s, being exposed to different players, that really adds up and starts to help. So it's great that we were able to take that and apply it here together."

Nicholas spent the spring of his freshman year as a gymnast and had a brief stint as a diver before settling in with swimming and water polo. He's steadily evolved into a dominant two-way player for the Vikings.

"Polo has brought these kids together and given them a common ground," said Fremd coach Brian Newby, who enjoyed a postgame celebration swim with his team. "This group of boys has really banded together to work hard and try to meet multiple goals - winning conference, and winning our sectional."

Next up: New Trier.

No boys water polo team from the Mid-Suburban League has won a quarterfinal game at the state tournament, and Fremd would like to snap that streak.

Newby's had experience with this, having won in the quarterfinals and finishing third with the Fremd girls team he coached in 2009.

"We'll put our best foot forward against New Trier, that's for sure," he said.