Three in a row for Davis High girls water polo
ROSEVILLE — After graduating seven seniors and bringing 10 underclassmen up to Davis High water polo standards, many observers felt this was a rebuilding year for Blue Devil girls.
Wrong!
Using a stifling defense and a hat trick from senior Hailey Wright, DHS captured its third consecutive Sac-Joaquin Section pool crown with an 8-5 victory over St. Francis on Saturday.
Playing before a crowd of more than 500 fans at the Roseville Aquatics Center, the Devil victory marked their ninth CIF title.
“That’s a tough school over there,” Davis coach Doug Wright told his girls afterward. “You did it today with defense. You did it on offense. You played as one … you played as a team.”
The victory squares the season series between the two schools at two games apiece — but Wright was happy his girls “won the one that counted most.”
The Troubadour game plan was simple: play locked-door defense and show offensive patience. It paid off as the high-octane Blue Devils were held far below their 13-goal season average.
A give-and-take opening three minutes saw DHS break through when Zoe Malot scored off a nifty Heather Johnson pass at 4:45. A minute later, Rachel Johnson tallied. Both opportunities took advantage of St. Francis exclusions.
But these were the Troubadours, owners of three section championships of their own. In fact, one has to go back to 2003 to find a school other than St. Francis and Davis playing in the final game.
Kaitlyn Cozens, off a Bryce Beckwith feed, put the Troubies on the board. Brooke Vowell from Chloe Sheffer tied things, but Rachel Johnson got a Mara Dominguez dish and scored, giving the Devils a 3-2 lead at the end of one period.
After SFHS tied the game, Hailey Wright’s rocket launch from 12 meters out put the locals back on top.
With defense prevailing, St. Francis goalie Kathleen Menz made back-to-back saves of shots by Malot. The Troubadours fought back in, tying things at 4-4, but Wright was determined to go out a winner.
Threading two defenders, the attacker had her cap ripped off, got dunked but came up in possession of the ball and nailed a skipper past Menz with just over a minute ’til intermission.
Davis would never look back.
Jane Gunnell muscled through a pack of Troubadours to tally just 22 seconds into the third quarter.
It would be the only score of the period, as DHS goalie Haley Cameron continued to turn back those St. Francis players who did make in through the Devil gauntlet.
On the afternoon, Cameron rejected seven Troubadour shots. St. Francis actually outshot Davis, 18-13.
Starting the final period, Malot caught her opponents napping and guided a soft toss goalward. The tally put the Blue Devils up by three and the locals were implored by coach Wright to control the ball, show patience, avoid turnovers and force bad-angle shots.
Mission accomplished.
In the last 6:15 of the game, St. Francis and DHS traded goals — Beckwith hitting for the Troubies and Wright completing her hat trick.
Davis finished the season 29-4.
Malot and Rachel Johnson each had four steals.
“This never gets old,” Wright added — smiling and wet after a congratulatory dunking by his team.
“Defense wins championships. We have really talented, young players.”
Short URL: http://www.davisenterprise.com/?p=104212
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Posted by Bruce Gallaudet
on Nov 12 2011.
Last Login: Tue 22 May 2012 11:46:20 PM PDT
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