Photo by Stephen Dachman
There are a few sports in the Moore League that are up for grabs—girls’ water polo hasn’t been one of them, and it’s not likely to start this season, either. Wilson opened with losses in three of their first four games, but are still the only Moore League team in the CIF Top Ten—plus, it’s something of a habit. Only once in the last fourteen years did another team win the league cup. Here’s a quick look at the league’s top four teams, as well as a full schedule for the season.
Wilson
Wilson is a team full of experience in a league that sports a lot of youth in the 2009-10 season. They have the league’s best goalie in Kellie Ringel (who is headed to Long Beach State), an advantage they’ll lean on often down the stretch. They have two other senior starters, Jamie Williams (a Moore League co-MVP last year) and Andrea McKinney, who will go on to play at the next level. The other four underclassmen starting were All-Moore League last season, so it’s a talent-rich team on both ends of the pool.
But that package hasn’t been enough to stop the competition thus far, as Wilson opened with a disappointing three losses in its first four games—albeit to high-talent teams in Edison, Santa Barbara, and Coronado. Still, as the team finds its chemistry during league play and the rigorous tournament schedule that coach Tony Martinho keeps them on, they’re still the odds-on favorites to keep the Moore League trophy in its case at Wilson, where it’s gotten to be a familiar sight.
Poly
Poly’s season may feel like it’s pretty short—they have a bye week, and then host their arch-rivals Wilson in the second week of the league schedule, a continuation of a rivalry that goes back decades. If they want to contend for the league title, and not just a playoff spot, it will come down to that game above all others. “Wilson is really tough, too,” says Poly coach Scott Penttila. “They beat us by five over the summer—we’re hoping we can play one of our best games against them.”
Penttila has a relatively experienced bunch as well, with major talent in the form of Orla Brazell and Nicole Van Derhoof, both seniors who were first-team All-League last year. “Van Derhoof is an amazing player,” says Millikan coach Al Reyes. “She creates her own shot, she plays defense, she’s the total package.”
She and Brazell will be backed up by a young roster that also sees returning all-league players in Megan Gil and Roma Rizalado. “We’re looking forward to league play,” says Penttila. “We’ve been focusing on our all-around game, I’ve been stressing defense a lot. You never know what could happen in the Moore League.”
Millikan
Millikan coach Al Reyes was having a rough time in the nonleague stretch when we talked to him for the preview. “We’re a little injured and sick this year—five girls on my bench are sick or injured, and one of the few seniors I have broke her hand. Another one has an ACL injury—that’s the nature of the beast. Some years you have ten seniors and no injuries.” That’s the year Millikan had last year, and Reyes says they’ve reloaded this year, but will need time to grow the experience.
“We have talent,” he says, “It’s just baby talent.”
They do have a steady senior in the goal, as Ghita Bouzaris will try to keep the net clean for the Rams again this year. On offense, they have a phenomenal one-two punch in Emily Matheson and Christine MacLenna, sophomore and junior respectively, who had 53 goals in the Ram’s first 12 games. “They’re the straws that stir the drink,” says Reyes, who sees tremendous potential in his inexperienced roster. “We’ll see how it goes,” he says. “It all depends on how quickly our young girls grow up.”
Lakewood
The youth movement continues at Lakewood, where the Lancers return exactly one starter, Annie Phung, who made first team All-League as a sophomore last season. Her coach, Janelle Deutschman says Phung is an “outstanding driver who continually looks for scoring opportunities,” and is also adept at earning ejections. She’ll be joined by newcomers Ashley Gunter and Brooke Livesay.
“We have a very young varsity group who is looking to learn new offensive and defensive schemes as quickly as possible,” says Deutschman. “The biggest key will be to strengthen our defense.”
2009-2010 Moore League Girls’ Water Polo Schedule
NOTE: All games on Thursdays at 3pm, Wilson home games played at Belmont Plaza
January 7
Wilson @ Lakewood
Jordan @ Millikan
Poly BYE
January 14
Wilson @ Poly
Lakewood @ Jordan
Millikan BYE
January 28
Poly @ Lakewood
Millikan @ Wilson
Jordan BYE
February 2
Poly @ Jordan
Lakewood @ Millikan
Wilson BYE
February 11
Jordan @ Wilson
Millikan @ Poly
Lakewood BYE