Griffins sweep road pair for five in-a-row

By Ramon Scott
Updated: October 8, 2026

Grossmont’s Luke Machin totaled six goals and 13 assists in the Griffins’ Oct. 3 victories over Rio Hondo and Santa Monica.

2026 GROSSMONT COLLEGE MEN’S WATER POLO

EastCountySports.com
Staff Report

EL CAJON — Grossmont College men’s water polo has followed its strong September finish with an unbeaten start to conference play.

The Griffins swept a road doubleheader Thursday, Oct. 8, defeating Chaffey before posting a 13-8 victory at Crafton Hills to improve to 2-0 in the Pacific Coast Athletic Conference.

The two victories extended Grossmont’s winning streak to five games and lifted coach Ty Lackey’s team to 12-5 overall. The college confirmed both wins in its Thursday post.

Peter Nelson scored four goals against Crafton Hills, while Juan Castillo and Reilly Reynolds contributed three apiece. Luke Machin added two goals and Zavior Ward scored once.

The conference victory followed Grossmont’s 24-1 win at Southwestern in its Oct. 1 league opener, giving the Griffins a combined 37-9 scoring advantage through their first two PCAC games.

Thursday’s sweep continued the momentum from a 3-1 finish at the Saddleback Tournament, where Grossmont rebounded from an opening loss with three consecutive victories.

SATURDAY SCORING SURGE

Castillo and Nelson powered the Griffins through the tournament’s final day, combining for 24 goals in victories over Rio Hondo and Santa Monica on Oct. 3.

Castillo totaled 13 goals across the two games, Nelson scored 11, and Machin contributed six goals and 13 assists. Goalkeeper Carson Hall finished Saturday with 27 saves.

Grossmont opened the day with a 21-15 victory over Rio Hondo.

Castillo led with six goals on seven shots and drew five exclusions. Machin finished with five goals and was credited with 10 assists, while Nelson and Jaxon Rice each scored four times.

William Carr and Connor Mangan supplied the remaining goals. Evan Myhovich contributed three assists, and Hall made 15 saves.

The Griffins followed with a 20-12 victory over Santa Monica, with Castillo and Nelson scoring seven goals apiece.

Grossmont built a 5-2 first-quarter lead and held an 8-4 advantage at halftime. A nine-goal third quarter stretched the margin to 17-8, putting the Griffins in control heading into the final period.

Reynolds scored twice, while Hall, Myhovich, Machin and Rice each added a goal.

Nelson and Machin supplied three assists apiece. Machin also collected three steals, and Hall recorded 12 saves.

The Saturday sweep followed a split Friday, Oct. 2. Grossmont fell to host Saddleback, 23-9, before responding with a 17-9 victory over Modesto.

The Griffins scored 58 goals over their three tournament victories.

CONFERENCE OPENER

Grossmont began PCAC play Oct. 1 with a decisive 24-1 victory at Southwestern, getting goals from 12 players.

Castillo led the scoring with five goals, Marcos Tapia added four and Miguel Alvarado scored three.

Ward, Myhovich and Nelson contributed two goals apiece. Reese Botticelli, Arturo Quiñonez, Reynolds, Rice, Mangan and Hall each scored once.

Carr distributed four assists, while Alvarado added two assists and four steals.

Hall made 13 saves while allowing one goal and contributed three assists to go with his own score.

Grossmont later lost 17-7 to SDSU Club that day, then dropped its Saddleback Tournament opener before beginning the current five-game winning streak.

The recent stretch builds on the Griffins’ four-game sweep Sept. 25-26, which carried the young team into October with a 6-3 record.

UP NEXT

Grossmont’s next listed PCAC game is Wednesday, Oct. 14, at home against San Diego Miramar at 1 p.m.

The remaining conference schedule includes a visit to San Diego Mesa on Oct. 22 and a home matchup with Palomar on Oct. 28. The Mesa game offers a rematch of last season’s PCAC championship contest.