NorCal water polo: SHP girls survive quarterfinals test
The SHP Girls Water Polo team defeated San Ramon Valley 14-5 in the first round of the CIF Norcal Division I Tournament.
Eleanor Facey scored four goals, Ella Woodhead recorded five assists and Central Coast Section Open Division champion Sacred Heart Prep took a step closer to the NorCal Division I championship, beating visiting San Ramon Valley 14-5 in the quarterfinals of the NorCal tournament Tuesday.
Back
Sacred Heart Prep (26-3) was the only local team, out of the five who played, that survived the quarterfinals. The second-seeded Gators host Miramonte in Thursday's 5 p.m. semifinal. The Matadors (20-5) edged Leland 14-13.
Top-seeded Acalanes beat St. Francis 14-2 and meets Davis, which beat Campolindo 7-6, in the other semifinal. The NorCal final will be held at Independence High in San Jose on Saturday.
Sacred Heart Prep edged Miramonte 9-8 in Atherton in their lone meeting of the season. They do have six other common opponents. The Matadors are a combined 10-4 against Acalanes, Soquel, Campolindo, Monte Vista, Leland and San Ramon Valley while the Gators own an 8-3 mark against those teams.
Sacred Heart Prep edged Miramonte 9-8 in Atherton in their lone meeting of the season. They do have six other common opponents. The Matadors are a combined 10-4 against Acalanes, Soquel, Campolindo, Monte Vista, Leland and San Ramon Valley while the Gators own an 8-3 mark against those teams.
Acalanes, the nation's top-ranked team and winners of 92 straight, beat both teams three times each over the course of the season.
Annabel Facey recorded a steal at one end of the pool and then scored at the other end, with an assist from Woodhead, just over a minute into the contest and the Sacred Heart Prep girls never trailed.
The Gators scored the game's first three goals and eventually led 8-2 at halftime.
Bella Bachler and Alexandra Szczerba each added three goals for the Gators. Annabel Facey scored twice and Woodhead and Ashley Penner each scored.
SHP recorded 12 steals, led by Annanel Facey with three. Woodhead and Bachler each had two. Megan Norris recorded five saves in three period and Paedrin Gillett saved a pair in the fourth.
The Gators shot at a .519 pace (14 of 27) and converted three of five power plays. San Ramon Valley was 5 of 23 on .217 shooting and 1 of 5 on power plays.
Boys Water Polo
The Sacred Heart Prep boys fell behind 3-0 and could never quite close the gap. Luke Hammarskjold scored with 26 seconds left in the third period, on an assist from Andrew Plaschke, to bring the Gators within 11-9 entering the final period.
Luke Johnston led SHP (23-7) with four goals. Isaac Rotenberg, Plaschke, Jake Tsotadze and Teddy Pasquesi also scored.
SHP did not have a senior on the roster and should prove formidable again next season.
Sacred Heart Schools Atherton
Founded by the Society of the Sacred Heart, SHS is a Catholic, independent, co-ed day school for students in preschool through grade 12
