Girls water polo: SH Prep, Menlo reach CCS semifinals

Sacred Heart Prep, earning a No. 3 seed in the Central Coast Section Open Division girls water polo playoffs, is not going to sneak up on anyone.

A perennial section power, the Gators built a comfortable lead before holding off No. 6 Los Gatos 8-6 in Saturday's quarterfinals at Los Altos High. 

SHP (21-6) hosts No. 2 Soquel (23-4) in a semifinal bout on Tuesday at 7 p.m.

Sacred Heart Prep first-year coach Jamie Frank got his first taste of CCS and, mostly, was happy to survive and move on.

“Any time you can play a team as talented as Los Gatos, be able to execute our game plan and shut down things they want to do, I'm happy,” said Frank, an Aragon High alum of 2005. “Following a game plan is something we can build off of.”

Los Gatos (23-3) won the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League De Anza Division title, as well as the league tournament. The Gators took awhile to score, finally breaking the ice when Annabel Facey scored with 2:54 to go in the first period. 

The Wildcats' Corlista Davison answered from 2-meters in less than a minute. The Gators' Madeline Johnson, however, found the net from long distance with a second to go in the period.

Bella Bachler got the first of her three goals on a 5-meter penalty shot 21 seconds into the second period. 

On a transition counter, Facey, a junior, assisted sister Eleanor, a sophomore, for a goal to put the Gators up 4-1. 

“They bring a culture of toughness and a work ethic,” said Frank of the Facey sisters. “It's contagious for the rest of the team. They push everybody.”

Davison, exhibiting a strong arm, rifled in a shot from 8 meters late in the half to trim the deficit. SHP nearly had a goal to end the half, but Ella Woodhead's skip shot was stopped by Los Gatos goalie Jackie King.

A three-goal blitz to begin the third period broke the game open for the Gators. A skip-shot on a power play by Bachler was good. Then Annabel Facey scored on a skillful shot.

Shortly after being stopped on a one-on-one against King, Alexandra Szczerba scored for the Gators, who tallied three goals within 2 minutes, 24 seconds to take control.

Up 7-3 to begin the final frame, Ella Woodhead drew a 5-meter penalty, which was put home by Bachler at the 6:38 mark. 

The Wildcats scored four goals versus the Gators' reserves as Frank let everyone get a section taste.

Solid in goal for the Gators was senior Nellie McAdams.

“Nellie blocks everything that is expected of her,” Frank said. “She gets the ones we don't expect, as well.”

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