Water Polo: February 2008 Archives
RANCHO CUCAMONGA — Los Osos keeps making history for its girls water polo program.
Before this year, the Grizzlies had never before won a CIF-SS playoff game.
Now they’ve won two, thanks to Saturday’s 9-8 overtime upset victory over fourth-seeded Walnut in a CIF-SS Division III quarterfinal game at Los Osos.
Los Osos, which didn’t trail until overtime, now advances to Wednesday’s semifinals against the winner between top-seeded Riverside Poly and La Canada at a site to be determined.
“I think our senior leadership is what carried us to victory,” Los Osos coach Eric Cypher said.
The score was tied 8-8 in the second half of the non-sudden death overtime. That’s when one of those seniors, Brittany Strong, came up big.
Strong’s goal from seven meters out gave the Grizzlies (19-8) a 9-8 lead with 38.1 seconds to play.
“I was still nervous, because I knew we had to stop them,” Strong said.
Walnut had one final possession and initially Strong was called for a foul about five meters from the goal.
“I didn’t want it to be my fault to give up the goal,” she said.
No blame was needed because Strong recovered, blocked the shot and got the ball with 21.9 seconds left. It was Walnut’s last chance.
It was the final blow in a game that seemed like it should have been decided long before.
Los Osos, which lost to Walnut (29-2) 10-5 a couple of weeks ago in the Bonita Tournament, led 3-0 after a quarter, then 6-3 entering the fourth.
The Mustangs trimmed the deficit to 6-5 on a goal by Allie Zell with 3:47 to play, but the lead looked comfortable again when Randi Bresee scored with 1:05 left to make it 7-5.
Ayala 15, Upland 7
Dani Curran scored six goals to lead Ayala (26-4) to the victory and eliminate Upland.
Ayala will play Wednesday against Whittier at a site to be determined by coin flip.
Lexi Anderson led Upland with four goals.
Before this year, the Grizzlies had never before won a CIF-SS playoff game.
Now they’ve won two, thanks to Saturday’s 9-8 overtime upset victory over fourth-seeded Walnut in a CIF-SS Division III quarterfinal game at Los Osos.
Los Osos, which didn’t trail until overtime, now advances to Wednesday’s semifinals<NO1> against the winner between top-seeded Riverside Poly and La Canada at a site to be determined<NO>.
“I think our senior leadership is what carried us to victory,” Los Osos coach Eric Cypher said.
The score was tied 8-8 in the second half of the non-sudden death overtime. That’s when one of those seniors, Brittany Strong, came up big.
Strong’s goal from seven meters out gave the Grizzlies (19-8) a 9-8 lead with 38.1 seconds to play.
“I was still nervous, because I knew we had to stop them,” Strong said.
Walnut had one final possession and initially Strong was called for a foul about five meters from the goal.
“I didn’t want it to be my fault to give up the goal,” she said.
No blame was needed because Strong recovered, blocked the shot and got the ball with 21.9 seconds left. It was Walnut’s last chance.
It was the final blow in a game that seemed like it should have been decided long before.
Los Osos, which lost to Walnut (29-2) 10-5 a couple of weeks ago in the Bonita Tournament, led 3-0 after a quarter, then 6-3 entering the fourth.
The Mustangs trimmed the deficit to 6-5 on a goal by Allie Zell with 3:47 to play, but the lead looked comfortable again when Randi Bresee scored with 1:05 left to make it 7-5.
DIVISION V
Redlands 11, Temescal Canyon 10
Sharon Dyer scored six goals and assisted on two others to lead the Terriers (22-7) into at least the semifinals for the second straight year with a road victory over the Titans.
Goalie Carly Miller recorded 13 saves for Redlands, which registered 11 steals as a team.
Temecula Chaparral 16, Yucaipa 4
At Chaparral, Becca Hearon scored twice for the Thunderbirds, but the Pumas surged to an 8-2 halftime lead and never looked back in a CIF Southern Section Division II quarterfinal. Chaparral’s Mackenzie Mone led all scorers with five goals.
DIVISION III
Whittier 14, Bonita 2
The Cardinals denied the Bearcats open looks at the cage for the most part. Bonita took 23 shots, but Cardinals goalkeeper Melanie Peel needed to make only nine saves. And most of those were like playing catch, with the scoring attempts pretty much directed right at her.
“I’m really happy with the way this group has progressed over the season,” Bonita coach John Ashby said “It’s unfortunate we had to run up against the division’s No. 2 team,” Bonita coach John Ashby said. “Whittier is a very good team, up and down, defensively and well-coached. They deserve to be No. 2, maybe No. 1.”
Whittier was ranked No. 1 in the CIF-SS weekly polls much of the season and was seeded No. 2 for the playoffs.
Whittier improved to 16-7 while Bonita finished the season with an 18-13 mark.
Whittier attempted 29 shots, with Bearcats goalkeeper Maghan Pezzolla stopping 10.
Amber Pezzolla and Candace McIntire accounted for the Bearcats’ scoring.
Upland 10, La Serna 7
Since the Upland sophomore goalie’s promotion to the varsity water polo team this season, Joanna Marantiais has grown tremendously.
Whether it was literally or figuratively, she may have grown the most during back-to-back saves in the fourth quarter of Upland’s 10-7 win over Whittier La Serna on Thursday in the first round of the CIF-SS Division III playoffs.
Protecting a 9-7 lead with less than three minutes remaining, a fully-extended Marantiais knocked down a close-range shot to end a 6-on-5 threat. The rebound resulted in a La Serna penalty shot she deflected into the underside of the crossbar.
“That was what sealed their fate,” Upland coach Cody Bell said. “Two in a row like that was very impressive.”
Leanne Ford scored six goals for the Highlanders (21-9), who will face Ayala in the quarterfinals on Saturday, including Upland’s final three goals in a high-scoring fourth quarter. Marantiais finished with 12 saves.
La Cañada 10, St. Lucy’s 9, 2OT
The Spartans’ refusal to lose helped them pull out a 10-9, double-overtime victory against St. Lucy’s in the opening round of the CIF-Southern Section Division III playoffs Thursday at Pasadena City College.
The Spartans overcame a 7-4 deficit with four fourth-quarter goals, including the game-tying goal by Riley Kessler with 9.8 seconds to play in regulation time.
Jacki Snyder broke the tie in overtime when with a shot that barely got past Regents goalie Ashley Lancaster.
St. Lucy’s outshot the Spartans 24-13.
<NO1>Behind the play of Coulter and fellow sophomore Bianca Adams, St. Lucy’s was in position for the upset.
Coulter scored four goals and Adams had three.
Adams fought off a La Cañada defender to put a shot past Cato, which gave the Regents a 7-4 lead with 5:48 to play in the fourth quarter.
A pair of quick goals by Kaesler pulled the Spartans closer.
Spartans driver Samantha Magnuson’s score with the Regents short-handed tied the match at 7 with 2:34 to go.
Adams gave St. Lucy’s the lead when she tipped a pass from Sara Fulham into the net past Cato to set up Kessler’s heroics.
“(La Cañada) played a really great game and got very aggressive on the perimeter and got a couple of goals,” St. Lucy’s coach David Miller said. “We were able to counter back to take the lead, but they put one in there at the end.
“We gave it our best and the girls played really hard today.”
Ayala 19, Riverside King 2
Dani Curran scored eight goals while Alex Ford and Heidi Pettinger added four each as the Bulldogs (23-4) defeated the visiting Wolves and advance to the second round.
Goalie Kaitlyn Dement had eight saves for Ayala.
DIVISION VI
Saddleback 9, Arroyo Valley 7
San Andreas League champion Arroyo Valley played well against the top-seeded team, but fell.
An early injury to standout Erica Fry hindered the Hawk effort. Taylor Vermillion, Lena Leonardi and Alaina Jara all had two goals for the Hawks (17-11) and Ria Johnson had one goal and two assists. Fry managed two assists.
Crystal Villegas had five goals for Saddleback (24-4).
CIF-SS PLAYOFFS
The Anaheim Savanna water polo team scored five goals in the first period and never looked back in eliminating San Gorgonio 7-2 in the first round of the CIF-SS Division VI playoffs on Tuesday.
Savanna (14-14) took a 5-1 lead and cruised past the Spartans (8-17).
Kristen Uskes and Edith Waskel each scored a goal for San Gorginio.
HEMET 6, CAJON 5
Hemet broke a tie entering the final period to win in a Division VI first-round match.
Katie Braun led the Cowgirls in scoring with two goals, while Danica Vera, Laura Ziepke and Danielle Fletcher had one each.
DIVISION III
ST. LUCY'S 15, WARREN 9
Freshman Emily Donohoe and junior Lindsay Rangal scored four goals each to lead the Regents (22-8) to a win over visiting Warren in playoff action at Damien High School.
St. Lucy’s led 6-3 after the first quarter and 10-3 after the second and was not challenged. The goals by Donohoe give her a team-high 125 on the season.
Ashley Lancaster and Kelly Applebee split time in goal, combining for 12 saves.
The Regents will face La Canada Thursday at Pasadenca City College.
BONITA 10, ALTA LOMA 6
Just getting to the playoffs was a big deal for Alta Loma. Bonita, meanwhile, was not used to ending its season before the first round.
Alta Loma will have to settle for just making the playoffs<NO1>and Bonita’s season won’t end early after Bonita’s 10-6 victory on Tuesday afternoon in a CIF-SS Division III wild-card game at Las Flores Park.
“We’d won five league titles in a row, so we’re not used to playing a wild-card game,” Bonita coach John Ashby said.
Bonita junior twins Amber and Megan Pezzolla played huge roles in the Bearcats’ win.
Amber scored eight of Bonita’s 10 goals, while Megan made 19 saves in goal.
BASELINE LEAGUE
Alta Loma 7, Rancho Cucamonga 6
The Braves advanced to the CIF-SS playoffs for the first time since 2002 by edging the host Cougars for third place in the Baseline League.
Andrea Gomez scored three goals, Jamie Jackson scored twice and Maddie McDonald stopped 14 shots in the victory. Alta Loma finished the regular season 15-12 overall and 6-4 in league play after not winning in 10 Baseline League games a year ago.
Alex Reddin scored three goals and Alex Gudeaau added two for the Cougars (4-6 in league).
CITRUS BELT LEAGUE
Redlands East Valley 24, Eisenhower 7
Ali Olson scored five goals as the Wildcats (6-4 CBL) clinched a playoff spot with their win over the Eagles.
In her season finale, Cassandra Vega scored all but one of Eisenhower’s goals.
SAN ANDREAS LEAGUE
ARROYO VALLEY 20, PACIFIC 4
Ria Johnson had seven goals and Lena Leonardi had four to lead the league champion Hawks (8-0). Lizette Salcedo and Vera Lopez each had two goals for Pacific (2-6).
CAJON 9, SAN GORGONIO 2
Katie Braun scored five goals to lead the Cowboys (6-2 league), while Kristen Braun added another two goals. Pauline Valasquez had 10 saves as well for Cajon.
The Spartans (4-4) got a goal each from Edith Waskel and Hannah Jure.
CITRUS BELT LEAGUE
REDLANDS 11, REV 5
Sharon Dyer scored four goals and Emily Haws and Doris Tran added two apiece to lead the Terriers (19-7, 9-0) past the Wildcats (5-4 in league). Redlands clinched its 10th straight league title with its 99th straight league win. Jaci Cochrane scored four goals for REV.
SAN ANDREAS LEAGUE
San Gorgonio 8, Pacific 5
Edith Waskel pumped in four goals and Jessica Phillips recorded 11 saves as the Spartans (4-3) overcame three goals by Fannie Perez and two more from Lizette Saucedo of the Pirates (2-5).
Cajon 20, San Bernardino 3
Laura Ziepke scored four goals and Jennifer Reed added three as the Cowgirls (15-12, 5-2) routed the Cardinals (0-8 in league).
SIERRA LEAGUE
St. Lucy’s 13, Chino Hills 12
Emily Donohoe scored six goals as the Regents (21-7, 6-1) broken open the game with five goals in the second quarter. Bianca Adams added four goals for St. Lucy’s.
CITRUS BELT LEAGUE
Eisenhower 11, Carter 6
Cassandra Vega scored six goals, including two from 15 yards out, as the Eagles (1-6 CBL) gained their first league victory with a win over the Lions (1-6 CBL).
MT. BALDY LEAGUE
Colony 17, Montclair 3
Tya Crosse scored eight goals and had three assists as first place Colony (12-2, 7-0) defeated the host Cavaliers. Wendy Romero follwed with five goals for Colony, who are only a game away from clinching the Mt. Baldy League Title.
