Men’s Polo Lands 9 Players on All-WSC, 4 Earn All State, Ianora Named MVP, Enloe is COY

Posted: Dec 05, 2023

Men's Water Polo endured a potentially devastating blow when reigning State Coach of the Year John Marsh retired during the summer, but the Cougars' sophomore leaders and assistants Chandler Mankins and Layne Porter kept the program afloat for the first month of the school year until Coach Greg Enloe was brought aboard. Enloe arrived just in time for the Cougars' 44^th MidState Invitational and opened his tenure with three wins in four tries. Enloe's leadership steadied the program, and the Cougars went on to win their 4^th straight Western State Conference title, while also reaching the post-season for the 44^th straight year. Enloe, the program's third coach, also picked up Western State Conference Coach of the Year honors after winning the WSC title and leading the Cougars to a 3^rd place finish at the 2023 CCCAA State Tournament.

2023 Western State Conference Player of the Year Dante Ianora (Walnut Creek-Pict) steeped into a lead role in his second season and evolved into the State's single most dominant offensive player. Ianora entered the season in top form and with his size and strength he demanded a double-team. His 115 goals were 5^th in the State and rank 4^th all time at Cuesta, as the most goals by a Cuesta player since Toki Prlainovic scored 120 in 1990. He also drew a team-high 77 fouls, which placed him 3^rdall time at Cuesta and 2^nd in the State. He ends his career ranked 12^th on the Cougars' career scoring list (149 goals) and tied at 4^th for Fouls Drawn during his career (122). Ianora, along with WSC Player of the Year Honors, was also named to the CCCAA All Regional and All American First Teams, as well as being a Finalist for the CCCAA State Player of the Year.

Sophomore Jake Burns (Camarillo HS) blossomed this season as one of the State's best playmakers. Burns was second on the team with 71 goals, but also second in the State with a school record 78 assists. Burns, despite not playing in the Cougars' starting rotation as a freshman, finished his Cuesta career with 110 assists, which left him one "dime" short of Eric Marsh's Cuesta career standard of 111.

Freshman Goaltender Yvano Voigt (Marseille, FRA) was selected to the 2023 Western State Conference First Team and All-State Second Team, while also joining Ianora and Burns by earning All American honors. Voigt began the season in a battle for playing time with All State returner Armin Jusztin but took over when Jusztin abruptly transferred. Voigt, with the position to himself, played 150 of a possible 151 quarters in the nets and posted a 23-13 record. His 369 saves ranked 2^nd in the State and earned him the 4^th spot all time at Cuesta. Voigt collected 107 of his saves in the final eight games of the season, including a season-high 20 saves in the CCCAA State Quarter-Final against Sierra. He also led the team with 77 steals.

Sophomore Oliver Finley (Cape Town, RSA) earned a spot on the 2023 All-WSC First Team and garnered honors as a member of the All-State Second Team. Finley was the Cougars' go to player in the clutch, after netting back-to-back buzzer beaters to punch the Cougars' ticket to the CCCAA State Finals. Finley scored the winner in the 2023 Western State Conference title game to beat Los Angeles Valley, at Los Angeles Valley, 12-11, in regulation to secure a playoff berth. A week later he lit the lamp in a sudden death, barnburner versus a favored Orange Coast team to book the Cougars' trip to State. Finley ended the season with a line of 69 goals, 50 assists and 58 steals.

Freshman Austin Majus (Westlake Village) was the fifth member of the Cougars' starting line-up to earn all-WSC First Team. Majus was one of six players on the team to eclipse the 60-goal mark, but it was his passing that stood out. His 55 assists, although overshadowed by Burns, earned him the 7^th spot all-time at Cuesta.

The Cougars placed Freshmen Jake Escobar (Woodside HS) and Andoni Petroutsas (Athens, GRE) on the 2023 All-Western State Conference Second Team. Escobar and Petroutsas were both among the six players to eclipse 60 goals on the season, which is a program record. Escobar also added 43 assists and 42 steals, while Petroutsas dished out 15 assists and swiped 24 steals

Freshmen Toby Jones (Bakersfield) and Conner Rocha (Paso Robles HS) were both recognized as 2023 All-WSC Honorable Mention selections. Jones and Rocha were both part-time starters but put-up fulltime numbers. Jones scored 33 goals and was second on the team, behind Ianora, with 27 fouls drawn. Rocha netted 25 goals and added both 32 assists and 32 steals.

Coach Greg Enloe was recognized as the 2023 Western State Conference Coach of the Year, after taking over the program a month into the season. Enloe accepted his first collegiate head coaching position with a team that had been on campus for six weeks and a month into the competitive season. Luckily, the Cougars were stocked with veteran leadership that was previously mentored by two-time CCCAA State Coach of the Year John Marsh. Unluckily, the month before he was hired the vultures were circling and wooing Cuesta players to bolt to four-year schools, while other players committed to Redshirting to save their eligibility. Enloe's presence was a salve for the anxious Cougars and the program went back to work, winning games and making another deep run in a quest for a State Title. Enloe in his first year at the helm guided the program to more milestones. His men claimed the program's 1,000^th victory on October 18, while simultaneously winning its 31^stconference title in a victory over LA Valley, which also clinched the program's 44^th straight playoff berth. The Cougars went 23-13 for the season, including 18-10 with Enloe at the helm.

All American Dante Ianora

All American Jake Burns

All American Yvano Voigt

2023 All State

First Team Dante Ianora

First Team Jake Burns

Second Team Yvano Voigt

Second Team Oliver Finley

2023 All-Western State Conference Honors

Coach of the Year Greg Enloe

Player of the Year Dante Ianora

First Team Jake Burns