At University City High, water polo 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.”
New UC head wrestling coach Jeret Needham sees this season as a year filled with many challenges.
“Our schedule is rigorous and we are only returning four seniors,” Needham noted. “Our squad may be young, but thanks to our talented underclass we could be very competitive.”
In the season’s first tourney, “Battle by the Beach,” senior Carl Pasquale finished second. Other Centurion wrestlers gaining medals included senior Robert Ramos, and juniors Alex Scarlett and Jan Sales.
Also look this season for contributions from seniors Chad Campbell and Casey Nakamura. Nakamura is UC’s returning Master’s qualifier and placed third in the City Conference and first in the Western League last season.