Youth roundup: Davis club dominates water polo tourney

The Davis Water Polo club’s 14U boys White team, fresh off of perfect 9-0 fall and winter Pacific League seasons, went 5-0 against some of the best teams in the state at the Los Alamitos Winterfest Championships last weekend.

The locals won the top-flight AA division with a convincing 16-8 title-game victory over Capistrano Valley’s Alliance Water Polo Club behind seven goals from Josh Orrick and six from Cameron Wright.

In pool play, Davis defeated the North San Diego Stars (18-6), the San Diego Pacific Polo (16-4) and Orange County Elite Water Polo (22-6). During those contests, the locals were paced at the offensive end by centers Tucker Fisk and Orrick. who combined for 24 goals, while defenders Steven Csaposs and Nick Masson as well as goalie Garrett Dawson were strong all weekend.

Fantastic play at both ends of the pool was supplied by DWPC’s Matt Blackwell, Peter Blumberg, George Van Voorhis and Henry Burke, while attackers Jason Chacon, Daniel Alvarez and Wright fed a potent fast break with 18 additional goals in pool play.

In Davis’ 17-8 semifinal win over CC United Water Polo (Contra Costa), the locals were paced by Wright’s nine goals.

14U girls water polo

The Davis Water Polo Club’s 14U girls team finished off a fantastic Pacific Zone Winter League Season with an undefeated record at the Winterfest Tournament last weekend.

The locals went 2-0-1 in pool play, including wins over Aliso Water Polo Club (7-2) and Alliance WPC (10-2). However, a 7-7 tie with Santa Barbara forced Davis out of the top three spots. Undaunted, the DWPC girls went on to demolish So Cal Gold (18-5) and Pacific Polo (11-2) to claim fourth place.

Offensively, Davis sharpshooters Madelyn Reeves and Scout Brown teamed up for 32 scores and speedster Kyla Leacox added seven goals. At the defensive end, Kendall Doten, Karenna Hunt and goalkeeper Katrina Sturm combined to allow just over three goals per game. Sara Valdez-Chabot, Hailey Cavanaugh, Moira Williams, Sofia Dolan and Emily Tapio contributed on both ends for the locals.

12U coed water polo

The Davis Water Polo Club’s 12U coed team won the championship at last weekend’s prestigious Winterfest Tournament in Orange County. In going 5-0 at the event, the locals defeated Empire (15-1), Costa Mesa (9-1), Corona del Mar (14-2),  714 Water Polo (19-5) and Aliso Polo (8-7).

Goalkeeper Emily Blackwell’s tenacious shot-blocking skills earned the tournament MVP for Davis, while the local offense was paced by the strong play of Keianna Pineda, Avery Warhover, Daniel Fineberg, Brooke Doten, Trey Doten and Jack Johnson. In addition, DWPC’s Molly Burke, Jared Hunt, Teddy Oliver and Kimberly Tiss contributed  on both ends of the pool.

The championship game was a rousing back-and-forth contest and Davis needed each of Dane Peterson’s scores along with two from Quinn Brown and a lefty goal from Reese Oliver.

For more information about the Davis Youth Water Polo, contact coach Jamey Wright at ncwright0300@sbcglobal.net.

Extreme 12U hockey

Hosting the NorCal Cup hockey tournament in Woodland last weekend, the NorCal Extreme 12U squad rebounded from a loss in its opener to reach the championship game.

After falling 5-1 to the San Jose Mustangs 2001 — with Sam Blakewell scoring their only goal — the locals came back to defeat the Antioch River Rats (6-2) and the Mustang 2000 team (8-0). The wins sent NorCal to the finals where it played well but dropped a 5-4 rematch with the River Rats.

Throughout the tournament, Extreme goals were scored by Jack Shields, Blakewell, Brandon Pacciorini, Keith Walker and Cole Skoog. NorCal’s Nick Blakewell added seven assists, Thomas Witham put pressure on the defense and Max Muller saved 87 percent of the shots he saw to win top goalie honors for the division.

Extreme 14U hockey

The NorCal Extreme’s 14U squad won a gold medal by going undefeated at the NorCal Cup.

A season’s worth of hard work resulted in victories over the Stockton Junior Thunder (5-2), the San Jose Mustangs (7-2) and the Bay Area Rampage (8-0) by the mercy rule to earn a spot in the championship contest. There, NorCal edged Stockton, 2-1, to capture the title.

Extreme points were scored by Joe Blakewell (13 goals, two assists), Brandon Pacciorini, Miguel Witham and Sam Blakewell. Dylan Lee and Jack Shields each contributed an assist for the locals, while Max Landy played stingy defense in front of Nicholas Leacox, who won top goalie for his 91 save percentage.

Extreme 16U hockey

The NorCal Extreme 16U team matched the 14Us by winning a gold medal in its division of the NorCal Cup. The championship matchup was a thriller as the locals went to a shootout before NorCal’s Caleb Hermle scored the eventual winner. Goalie Nicolas Leacox posted a shootout shutout.

The event started with Extreme getting victories over the San Jose Revision Mustangs (3-2) and the Rampage Omega (5-3), the squad the locals beat in a title game rematch. The only NorCal blemish was a 4-3 loss to the Rampage Alpha.

Throughout the event, Extreme got goals from Joe Blakewell (four), Hermle (three), Danny Kumata (three), Ricky Pacciorini (two), Tyler Schafer, Seth Lipson and Henry Campbell. Defenders Dalton Byard and Ryan Kowta never let up on opposing advances and Jacob Lipson provided nonstop offensive pressure.

18U hockey

Skating as the Saxons, the local 18U team easily beat the Public Enemy, 7-1, and the San Jose NCR Tour Elite 96, 8-1, before being defeated, 3-2, by the NCR Elite and ending up with a silver medal.

Saxon goals were tallied by Jacob Muller, Paul Hermle, Danny Kumata, Caleb Hermle and Brian Varley, while Joe Blakewell was a defensive force in front of goalie Eddie Berlin, who saved 87 percent of the shots he saw.