Several local scholastic girls water polo teams hope to make the 2006-07 season a splash.
Among them is perennial power The Bishop’s School, which is certainly no stranger to CIF gold under head coach Doug Peabody.
Last season, the Lady Knights went 28-3, were 12-0 in Western League play and, by the way, captured their third straight CIF crown.
Bishop’s returns last year’s CIF Division II Player of the Year, Sarah Van Norman, as well as USA National Youth team member Chelsea Smith-Carmichael.
Christina Michel holds down the duties in the cage after splitting time with Ariel Delgado last season and looks to have a breakout year. Bishop’s also has strong returnees in two-year starter Zinnea Alexander, as well as sophomore sensation Dominque Sardo. Sardo had a breakout freshman season, scoring 50 goals, dishing out 54 assists and recording a team-high 91 steals.
Others who will contribute to this year’s team include seniors Andrea Flores and Winnie Eastwood. Also look for a breakout year from junior Cathy White, and the team is rounded out with juniors Stephanie Tecca, Jessica Noel and Meaghan Barr.
At La Jolla High, the Lady Vikings come off of an 18-12 campaign (7-5 league record) for head coach Dante Laghetto.
Key returnees this season include utility players Michelle Hook (team MVP) and Keller Felt (co-MVP), goalie Sara Schreiner (Most Improved Player), drivers Alexandra Vespremi and Kelly Bishop, and two-meter players Jamie Walters and Mollie Chadwick.
“We are ready to beat every team this year, including Bishop’s, Coronado and top Division I teams,” Laghetto said. “We got the respect from everybody doing a great season on 2005, taking third place in CIF. I still see Bishop’s, Coronado and Poway as the best teams in the county, but we are right there ready for any mistakes from those teams to take their spots.”
At University City High, head coach Ty Lackey and the Lady Centurions finished last season at 12-16, earning the CIF Division II fourth seed. UC was upset in the quarterfinals.
This year’s team will look to driver Paige Squiller, a third-year varsity, second-year starter, to help lead the way. Squiller was the leading scorer from last year’s team as a sophomore. Also expect contributions from junior goalie Allison Smith. Smith started on varsity last season as a sophomore and should be set to have a big year this year as a junior.
“I think that this year’s team has really dedicated themselves to the goal of making it back to the CIF Division II semifinals (UC had reached that spot in previous years),” Lackey noted. “They have dedicated themselves in the off-season much more than any previous team of the past five years. Also unique to this year’s group is that they are all older, mostly seniors (six) and juniors (five), with one sophomore, making them the oldest overall team in the last five years.”