Press Releases

Nate Castillo Earns State Athlete of the Month
12/15/09 - Men's Water Polo

Orange Empire Conference’s Nate Castillo from Golden West College earns states top honor for his athletic accomplishments in the month of November.  Sophomore Nate Castillo was a driving force in leading Golden West College to the 2009 CCCAA Men’s Water Polo State Championship, its second straight state title.

In the month of November, Castillo led his team to be crowned Orange Empire Conference champions, Southern California champions, and state champions. He scored five goals and had seven assists over three games at the state tournament on his way to being named state MVP.

Castillo earned All-American honors for the second year in a row, and was named the 2009 Southern California and Orange Empire Conference Player of the Year.

Men’s Water Polo Back-to-Back State Champions
11/21/09 - Men's Water Polo

Golden West Men’s Water Polo captures the 2009 State Title defeating Long Beach City College 7-5.

The Rustlers struck first with a goal by Sophomore Nate Castillo with just 30 seconds into the game. In the next 3 minutes, Golden West built their lead to 3-0 with two power play goals from Colin McKibbin and Rex Learmouth.

Long Beach found themselves down three, but with 3:23 remaining in the first quarter, Daniel Lunga beat Golden West’s goalie Robby Poyton near side off a cross pass fro Dusan Ivanovski. The Rustlers weren’t done yet with :17 seconds remain, sophomore Kevin Hurley broke free on the left side of the pool and scored a spinner lob to put Golden West up 4-1.

Building on the 4-1 lead, Golden West never let up trading goals for the second and third periods and entered the 4th period up 7 to 4. With great clock management and ball control, the Rustlers became Back-to-Back State Champions defeating Long Beach 7-5.

GWC 7, LBCC 5
GWC 4-1-2-0--7
LBCC 1-2-1-1--5

Scoring
GWC : Kevin Hurley 2, Matt Venner 1, Nate Castillo 2, Rex Learmouth 1, Colin McKibbin 1
LBCC:Daniel Lunga 2, Janko Javanovic 2, Dusan Ivanovski 1
Saves:
GWC: Robby Poynton 12
LBCC:Duran Reid 8

Men's All State Team
Nate Castillo - GWC - MVP
Robby Poyton - GWC
Rex Learmouth - GWC
Matt Venner - GWC

Golden West defends title and earns the #1 seed from the south
11/14/09 - Men's Water Polo

The Rustlers were able to hold off LBCC in an overtime win, 18-15 to win their 13th consecutive Southern California Title. With the win, Rustlers advance to the state tournament and will face Riverside Community College on Thursday at 3:00pm, and Diablo Valley College on Friday at 12:00pm. The State Championship game will be held on Saturday at 12:00pm. All games will be played at Golden West College.

MEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP
Golden West 18, Long Beach 15, OT
LBCC 4-3-5-3-0-0--15
GW 3-2-5-5-2-1—18
Scoring
Long Beach: Brian Haag 4, Daniel Lunga 3, Janko Jovanovich 3, Dusan Ivanovski 3,
Scott Butler, Ryan McDonald
Golden West: Nate Castillo 5, Rex Learmouth 3, Colin McKibbon 3, Matt Venner 3,
Kevin Hurley 2, Winston Newland 2
Saves: LB: Nikita Nemykin 7, GW-Robby Poynton 3, Kyle Testman 3
Note: With 37 seconds left, Castillo’s 5th goal capped a comeback from 14-11 down in the 4th quarter and sent it to OT at 15-15. GW continued their assault in the OT with goals in the first 3-minute period by McKibbon and Venner to take the lead for good at 17-15 and go on to capture the SoCal title.

Rustlers Win OEC Conference Championships
11/7/09 - Men's Water Polo

Golden West defeats Riverside 9-8 to win their 39th Conference Title. Rustlers have not lost a conference championship game since 1988. Golden West will take the #1 seed going into the Southern California Championships.

Rustlers Undefeated in Conference Play
10/21/09 - Men's Water Polo
Western Sun

Riding a three-game winning streak, the Golden West College men's water polo team will host Saddleback College today (Oct. 21) in the Rustler pool at 4 p.m.

The Rustlers (12-4) will on Friday open play in the GWC Tournament, facing Santa Rosa Junior College in the morning and Ventura College in the afternoon. Two more tournament games will be played on Saturday.

GWC is next in action against Orange Coast College on Wednesday, Oct. 28 in the Pirate pool, then will travel to Malibu to play Pepperdine College on Friday, Oct. 30.

The Orange Empire Conference tournament will be held at Fullerton College Nov. 6-7; the following weekend will bring the Southern California championships, with the state tournament set for Nov. 19-21 at GWC.

Rustler water polo teams start out 13-1
9/21/09 - Men's Water Polo

By Jeff Weaver
Western Sun staff writer

The men’s water polo team is also off to a strong start after being crowned last year’s Southern California Community College and State Champions. The Rustlers have outscored their opponents 106-57 in eight matches this season.

After knocking out cross-town rival Orange Coast College in the semi-finals of the Golden West College tournament, the Rustlers defeated Long Beach City College 11-10.

Last week the Rustlers traveled to San Luis Obispo and finished second in the Cuesta College Tournament. The Rustlers defeated Ventura 11-7, American River 19-6, and Long Beach Community College 6-4. Although the Rustlers’ managed to take an early lead, West Valley defeated the Rustlers 11-8.

Both the men’s and women’s water polo teams will be competing today, Sept. 23 at home against Riverside City College.

The women Rustlers will start at 3, followed by the men at 4.

Men's Water Polo Win First Tournament of 2009
9/15/09 - Men's Water Polo

HUNTINGTON BEACH - Rustlers opened their 2009 season defeating LA Valley and Cerritos 19-5 and 17-9 respectively. On Saturday, GWC eliminated Orange Coast College 15-6 to advance to the championships game of the tournament. Golden West took on Long Beach City College and despite Rustlers going up 5-2, the Vikings were able to take the lead in the fourth period 10-8. But the Rustlers were not done yet, a late score by Kevin Hurley put the Rustlers up 11-10.

Rustlers travel to Cuesta on September 18-19. Where they will face Venture, American River, Long Beach City, and West Valley.

2008 State Champions
11/22/08

Merced, CA - Championships are meant to be like today's between the two top teams from the North and South. West Valley from the North and Golden West from the South. A game that saw ebs and flows with each team seemingly pulling out to a lead, only to be caught by their opponent. Entering overtime both teams were tied eleven. Golden West lead by Tournament MVP Emilio Vieira lead an overtime charge that saw them finish the first ot period with a two goal advantage. Defense, and the play by GWC Goalie Toby Devine, the Rustlers held the Vikings to no goals in both overtime periods. Vieira scored a late goal in the second overtime sealing any chance the Vikings had in coming back.

Just the night before, assistant coach Ken Hamdorf was inducted into the Community College Hall of Fame only to top off the weekend with one of the most thrilling state finals in community college history. State coach of the year Scott Taylor and his squad posted a 33-2 record for the 2008 season.

Golden West: 3-3-2-3-2-1--14
West Valley: 2-2-4-3-0-0--11

Goals: GC - Emilio Vieira 5, Rex Learmouth 3, Ricky Moniz 2, Colin McKibben 2, Joao Felip Coelho 1, Nathan Castillo 1 ; WVC - Patrick Van der Linde 3, Sefa Tuiasu 2, Jasper Visser 2, Matt Golden 2, Fabian Wanrooji 2, Goalie Saves: GWC - Toby Devine 11, WVC - Juan Fradera 6