The last time Mt. Whitney and El Diamante met, one goal separated them. Whitney came away with an 8-7 win. On Tuesday, the Pioneers head across town to see if they can make it two in a row.

For Whitney, the challenge will be starting faster than it did against Hanford. The Pioneers eventually found their rhythm and pulled away for a 14-5 win, but El Diamante is not likely to give them much time to figure things out.

Whitney will be relying on junior Jamen Radmacher, who so far this year has been the maker of radness. Radmacher leads the Pioneers with a staggering 54 goals and gives El Diamante a problem every time he gets room near the cage. Senior Elijah McLennan can add pressure from outside, while sophomore Micah O’Dell gives Whitney another option in front of the goal.

Freshman Zane Piper has also become an important part of the Pioneers’ attack. The lefty leads Whitney with 25 assists, and his ability to find teammates could be especially valuable in a game where one clean pass may be the difference between a goal and a missed opportunity.

The Miners have plenty of firepower of their own.

Sophomore Hunter Reid leads El Diamante with 31 goals and 18 assists. He has already shown he can carry a large share of the offense, but Whitney will try to make every possession difficult for him. The Pioneers will need to stay with him in transition, deny him easy looks, and make him work for everything.

Sophomore Niko Bolagot gives El Diamante another dangerous option. He has 27 goals and leads the Miners with 19 steals. A careless pass could quickly become a counterattack going the other way, so Whitney will need to protect the ball and stay alert after every shot.

In the cage, senior Casey Sherbrook will try to keep Whitney in control, while junior Franklin Neer will defend El Diamante’s goal. Sherbrook has made 137 saves this season, and Neer has stopped 132 shots. In a matchup this close, one big save could change the entire mood of the pool.

Whitney has already shown it can beat El Diamante. Now the Pioneers will have to prove they can do it again, this time on the Miners’ home pool and with very little room for error.

The varsity game begins at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, October 6, at El Diamante High School. There is no early dismissal. The team bus leaves Mt. Whitney at 4 p.m.