Photo by Monique Schoenfeld, Town Crier
Joanie Adamson, right, helped the Los Altos High girls water polo team to its best record in school history.
Town Crier Staff Writer
Coach Bill Smith said his players "are just stoked" about putting together the first winning season in the history of Los Altos High girls water polo.
The Eagles posted a 17-9 regular-season record and also finished above .500 in league play for the first time. Los Altos tied Homestead for second place in the SCVAL El Camino Division at 7-3.
"It's been an amazing year," said Smith, in his fourth season as coach. "We have six seniors on varsity and it's great for them because they've been through some tough times."
One such player is goalie Marisa Whitlock, a senior who Smith expects to be named first-team all-league for the second year in row.
"Marisa is a great goalie," he said. "She has good size (6-foot-1), smarts and mental toughness."
Whitlock, who's only been playing since her sophomore year, blocked 10 shots a game and allowed just over three goals per contest.
However, Whitlock isn't the only reason Los Altos has limited all but two opponents to under seven goals this season.
"She has good team defense in front of her," Smith said. "Our defense has been very strong."
Leading this stingy bunch were seniors Natalia Cmaylo and Natalie Battle, plus Lucy Daggett, a junior who topped the team in steals.
Offensively, Smith said Los Altos was "pretty balanced."
Caitlin Barreto averaged a team-best two goals per game, while fellow junior Mollie Behn and Cmaylo were close behind.
Barreto scored four goals in the Eagles' 6-4 win over Homestead last Thursday in the semifinals of the El Camino Division Tournament at Eagle Park. This put Los Altos in the title game against division champ Saratoga (20-7) last Saturday at Foothill College. The Eagles fell 14-5, ending any hope of making the Central Coast Section playoffs.
St. Francis, Gunn in CCS
St. Francis High has earned the top seed in the Central Coast Section playoffs, which start today. The Lancers (23-5) host No. 16 Independence (12-10) at 3:30 p.m.
St. Francis geared-up for the postseason last Saturday by beating Palo Alto 10-5 in the championship game of the SCVAL De Anza Division Tournament. Meg Knudtsen and Lindsey Bacolini scored four goals each for the Lancers.
Gunn opens the playoffs against Soquel at 4 p.m., today at San Lorenzo Valley High. The Titans (16-11-1) are seeded 10th, while Soquel (22-4) is fourth.
Gunn last Saturday beat Menlo-Atherton 8-5 in the third-place game of the De Anza Division Tournament. Erin Lee led the Titans with three goals.