November 22nd 2024.
In a thrilling Division I matchup, De La Salle's water polo team, led by Davidka Skov's four goals, secured a 14-8 victory over Campolindo. Skov's impressive performance included a stunning final goal where he single-handedly stole the ball and swam the entire length of the pool before scoring. Breydon Congo also contributed three goals to the Spartans' victory, with Lukas Peters and Sloan Brown adding two goals each. Colin Sullivan also scored one goal, helping De La Salle pull away from Campolindo with a 5-1 run in the third quarter.
Despite a team-high three goals from Hayden O'Hare and two from Ellis Culleton, Campolindo was unable to keep up with De La Salle's dominant performance. Cougars goalkeeper Drew DeFrancisci made two impressive saves on back-to-back five-meter shots, but unfortunately, Campolindo was called for fouls after each attempt. De La Salle finally capitalized on the third attempt, with Peters scoring a crucial goal with 3:30 left in the third quarter. This goal sealed the deal for the Spartans, who will now face host team Sacred Heart Prep in the Division I final on Saturday at 5:30 p.m.
In another exciting match, Sacred Heart Prep emerged victorious with a 12-11 win over Miramonte. The stage is now set for a showdown between the top teams from the Central Coast Section and the North Coast Section for the Division I title. Gates Gamble and Oliver Marcin were star players for Sacred Heart Prep, each scoring three goals. Clay Carrington and Nelson Harris also contributed two goals each, while Karl Sylvester and Luke Kirincich scored one goal apiece. Gamble also had an impressive four assists and two steals, while Marcin drew seven exclusions for the Gators. Sacred Heart Prep will now aim for a third consecutive NorCal Division I title.
In Division II, Menlo School's Hunter Coleman led his team to an 11-10 victory over Rocklin with five goals and three steals. Jackson Coleman also played a key role with three goals and eight steals, while Adam Afar and Lincoln Bott added two and one goals respectively. Alex Stoffel was a standout player for Menlo School, contributing four assists. The Knights will now face Clovis in the Division II championship, as Clovis defeated Redwood 11-10 in their semifinal match.
In Division III, Los Altos staged a comeback in the fourth quarter to defeat Merced 8-6 and secure their spot in the NorCal Division III championship. Benji Barkovich and Tiernan Braun each scored two goals for Los Altos, with Bruno Beckman, Will O'Shaughnessy, and Colby Sims adding one goal each. Braun also made two steals, while Joe Tadros and Ferran de Witt each had two blocks for the team. Los Altos will now face Ripon at Sacred Heart Prep on Saturday.
In a heartbreaking finish, host team Ripon scored the game-winning goal with only 5.6 seconds left in the match, defeating Valley Christian 11-10 in the Division III semifinal. Despite a valiant effort from Garett Crabb, Chase Blitzer, Darius Deac, Micah Hernandez, and Joe Shinn, Valley Christian was unable to secure the win. This marks the end of their season, with a final record of 12-17.
In the Girls Division I matchup, Sacred Heart Prep knocked out the three-time defending champions, Miramonte, with a 9-4 victory. Lauren Rossi, Vivian Golub, and Kiernan Hogan each scored two goals for Sacred Heart Prep, with Natalia Sczerba, Casey Coleman, and Megan Newby contributing one goal each. Rossi also had two assists and two blocks, leading the team in both categories. Sacred Heart Prep will now face Carondelet, the NCS Open champions, in the Division I final.
Carondelet secured their spot in the final with a 10-5 victory over Arroyo Grande. Josie Haast was the star player for Carondelet, scoring six goals and leading her team to their first-ever Division I championship match. Ainsley Swann, Emilia Haast, Quinn Arroyo, and Reagan Fullerton also contributed one goal each, with the team pulling away in the fourth quarter with a 4-2 run. This is not Carondelet's first taste of regional success, as they previously won the 2022 Division II title.
In Division II, San Ramon Valley held on for an 8-7 victory over Davis, securing their spot in the championship match against Stevenson. Olivia Anderson and Natalie Buck were standout players for the Wolves, with Anderson scoring two goals and Buck contributing two goals, two assists, five steals, and a block. Daphne Mundelius and Izzy Richards also had impressive performances, each contributing two assists. Brooke Temkin, Khamila Martell, and Everleigh Jasso also contributed to the team's victory. Stevenson defeated Leland 13-11 in their semifinal match.
In other news, Campolindo's girls water polo coach, Kim Everist, announced her retirement on Thursday after coaching the team since 2006. Under her leadership, the Cougars won four NCS Division II titles between 2010 and 2014.
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