Once Jamen Radmacher got clear, nobody was catching him.

The Mt. Whitney junior flew down the pool on a counterattack, leaving the pursuit behind before finishing with a goal. It was the standout moment in a fantastic game for Radmacher, who scored four times and handed out four assists against an El Diamante team with plenty of talent of its own.

The Pioneers also welcomed Phillip Soria back from injury, and he looked comfortable in the water. Soria contributed a goal and two steals, a strong return that gave Whitney another familiar presence in the mix.

Under coach Steven Chapman, the boys continued to show how well they can play when they work together. Radmacher’s passing helped spread the opportunities around, with Eli scoring three goals and sophomore Alexander DeBock adding two. Sophomore Micah O’Dell and freshman Zane Piper also found the net. Whitney had several players who could finish a possession, and the willingness to find one another made that count.

At the other end, senior goalkeeper Casey Sherbrook supplied the dependable work the Pioneers have come to expect. He recorded 11 saves against an El Diamante offense that gave him plenty to deal with.

For Piper, much of the game meant staying attached to Hunter Reid. Giving Reid room was asking for trouble, and Piper worked to make him earn his opportunities. The assignment came at a cost: Piper picked up two exclusions, leaving little margin for another. Even with that attention, Reid scored three times, showing the strength and skill that made him such a difficult matchup.

Piper finished with four steals and two assists alongside his goal. After his eight-assist outing against Dinuba, this game asked something different of him, with much of his effort going toward a demanding defensive assignment.

Reid wasn’t the only Miner capable of producing a memorable play. Left-hander Carter Orgeron scored from two meters with a release that looked more like a basketball hook shot, a clever finish that showed just how much talent El Diamante brought to the pool.

There was plenty to appreciate on both sides. For Whitney, the most encouraging part was seeing those individual efforts fit together: Radmacher breaking away, Soria looking strong in his return, Sherbrook turning away shots, and teammates sharing the work in between. Chapman’s guidance was evident in a group that gave one another room to shine.