AN EXTENDED FAMILY AFFAIR
Max and Ari Stone carrying on legacy that includes cousins
Twins Max and Ari Stone not only count on sibling support as fellow high school senior water polo players, but also some championship advice from their oldest brother stemming from his prep days more than 20 years ago.
Max is coming off the boys season with the Bishop’s team that reached the San Diego Section Open Division final, while Ari is opening the girls campaign for traditionally strong La Jolla.
Oldest brother Adam competed on the 1999 Scripps Ranch team that won the Division I title to start a family legacy in the sport that also has included three cousins.
Max and Ari, 17, play for schools that are crosstown rivals, yet dismiss the notion of any sibling rivalry since they started in the sport together about age 8, even together on coed teams then for younger kids.
“We strive to make each other better whether it’s in water polo, school or whatever we do,” Max said. “It’s a competition more than a rivalry.”
Ari cheered for Max at section finals on Nov. 13, when he scored a goal for the Knights in an 11-8 loss to Cathedral Catholic.
“We talk about water polo a lot in our family,” Ari said. “It’s a tradition right now. Sometimes, we talk about how we play and what we can do to get better.”
It all started for the family of Ken and Julia Stone when Adam was spotted in a gym and later invited to play water polo by Tom Atwell, the current La Jolla coach who was then at Scripps Ranch. From swimming, Adam converted to water polo, a sport that was new to him.
“My first practice, I was totally hooked,” said Adam, now 38. “To throw a ball at a net, be with a team and be
competitive in the water. I thought that was the greatest thing that I had ever tried.”
As a top reserve in his junior year, Adam contributed to the 1999 title team that included such standouts as Josh Muecke, who later pitched in the Houston Astros organization, and goalie Brandon Schroyer, the section Player of the Year, who attended the Air Force Academy.
“The more you work at water polo, the more it rewards you,” said Adam, who currently does product managing for a technology firm. “Then there’s social aspect. To this day, some of my closest friends are guys that I played water polo with.”
Adam attended the University of San Francisco, studied abroad in Hungary and played water polo in that hotbed. He worked for Sen. Diane Feinstein (DCalif.) before returning to San Diego.
Benefiting from Adam’s early lessons were the Vasquez cousins, the sons of Julia’s sister, Aurora. Beto, 32, who now coaches the men’s and women’s teams at San Diego Mesa College, played at Bonita Vista. He was followed by Memo, 30, also at Bonita Vista, and Esteban, 24, at Bishop’s.
What’s more, early swim lessons were provided to Max and Ari, who subsequently turned to water polo.
Only brother Ben, now 36, didn’t play water polo. The same year, he went off to college, the twins were born. Initially, Max didn’t eagerly dive into the sport.
“When I first started water polo, I hated it,” Max said. “My mom took me to my first practice, and it was like, ‘I’m never going back here.’ ”
After a couple of months, Max was urged to give it another try, and in turn, began friendships that included fellow player Garrett Johnson, also later his teammate at Bishop’s.
“I found people who supported me and made the game fun for me,” Max said. “It made me fall in love with the game.”
Max first attended La Jolla High and advanced to the varsity in his sophomore year, when Adam also helped coach under Atwell. Then Max opted to transfer to Bishop’s in part to follow his cousin Esteban at the school and reunite with Johnson for the perennially powerful program.
The Knights won their second straight Open Division crown last season, which was delayed to the spring because the pandemic. From that squad, six top seniors graduated, including Jack Martin, a twotime section Player of the Year.
Max inherited Martin’s role on offense this season as part of a rebuilt lineup. Bishop’s earned the top seed for the playoffs, but fell to Cathedral, a City Western League rival.
“We improved so much over the season, and while we wanted a different final result, it has been an amazing experience,” said Max, who is pondering college plans. “We were all so close and loved each other as brothers.”
Ari also had a moment of reckoning about water polo, happening when she was about 10, even giving other sports such as gymnastics a try.
“I thought, ‘Do I like water polo? Or do I do it just because I’m in it?’ ” Ari said. “So I took a break for a little bit. Then I realized I really like it.”
Ari joined the La Jolla varsity as a sophomore on a team with a core of seniors who mentored younger players. In particular, she recalls bonding with senior Stephanie Babcock.
“I learned a lot from her,” said Ari, who is also weighing college options. “The same way I looked up to Stephanie, now I want to be a leader in that role.”
The No. 4-ranked Vikings lost in the Open Division quarterfinals to Cathedral Catholic last season, also during the spring with the boys.
With pools closed during the pandemic, Ari took up golf with the help of her father. In turn, she made the Vikings varsity and became a three-sport athlete since she also competes on the swim team, principally in the 500-yard freestyle.
“I’m super excited to have my last season of (prep) water polo,” said Ari, a center defender. “It’s great to be more back to normal this season with morning team breakfasts and practice. It’s a lot of fun.”
Now it’s Max’s turn to cheer for Ari, all part of the family’s water polo legacy.