Sink or swim, the game must go on. At least when talking about the Mission Bay High School (MBHS) boys’ water polo team, that is. After suffering a tough one-goal loss during CIF postseason last year, the Bucs would love to score some redemption and prove that bigger isn’t always better. MBHS fields just 17 players in its program, while nearby powerhouses like The Bishop’s School and La Jolla High regularly trot out between 40 and 50. In his fifth season at the helm, Bucs head coach Troy Merkel isn’t making any excuses for his team’s uphill battle against numbers or against pool availability (the Bucs share a pool with Clairemont High). In fact, Merkel said having such a small group can actually help. “There’s an intimate relationship with a small group that can help with trust, camaraderie, giving it all and coming together as a unit,” Merkel said. “I think we understand each other more than some other teams.” MBHS is led by senior standout goalie Jacob Moreland. As the last line of defense, Moreland has excelled, often keeping his team close in games — despite being heavily outshot. “He brings a spunky attitude. I think the players will say he’s almost in his own world which, as a goalie, is perfect for that position,” Merkel said of Moreland. “He’s very quick, agile and knowledgeable. His competitive nature makes him a beast in goal.” Moreland said his goal for the team is to get over the proverbial hump by winning a CIF playoff game this season. He said this would also help in his personal goal to continue playing water polo in college. Moreland’s leadership style is an outgoing and demonstrative one. “I’m pretty loud. I’m pretty vocal,” Moreland said. “I’ll be yelling and cheering when we are on offense. I don’t know if they hear me or not, but either way I’m still yelling for them.” The other standouts on the Bucs relatively young squad are seniors Brendan Daly and Mikey McClelland. Daly is a lefty, so his ability to open up different angles makes him a very valuable asset to the team, not to mention the rocket of a shot he possesses. Daly is cautiously optimistic this group can compete with anyone. “This year we have a pretty strong team. We have a lot of guys who like to get physical and play tough polo,” Daly said. “We don’t really have a weak person when we are starting six in there.” McClelland, who serves as a captain, has battled injuries in each of the last two seasons but he said he is 100 percent healthy and he thinks his team can make some postseason noise. “This year, we want to win league like we did our freshman year, and hopefully win a CIF game because Mission Bay has never won a CIF game for water polo,” McClelland said. While the seniors have carried the bulk of the load to this point, some of the younger players are starting to emerge in their own right. “We have an up-and-coming player in Jake Armstrong,” Merkel said of the junior. “He’s taking this team on his shoulders. ” They may not be nearly as deep as some of their opponents but Merkel always gets a full effort from his teams — and that means the Bucs can never be taken lightly.