NorCal water polo championships 2024: Sacred Coronary heart Prep women, boys seize Division I titles

Boys water polo
Division I
No. 2 Sacred Coronary heart Prep 9, No. 1 De La Salle 7

ATHERTON — On the largest stage and in entrance of its residence crowd, Sacred Coronary heart Prep wasn’t going to stroll away with second place medals.

After dropping a decent recreation to De La Salle within the common season, SHP bought its revenge because the Gators defeated the Harmony faculty 9-7 to seize the CIF NorCal Division I title for the fourth consecutive yr.

“I’m just so proud of this team,” stated SHP senior Nelson Harris. “We lost to De La Salle earlier in the season, so it’s just so great to come back. We worked so hard and we put our hard work to the test by beating them on the biggest stage.”

Sacred Coronary heart Prep gamers have fun after profitable their CIF NorCal Water Polo Championship towards De La Salle in Atherton, Calif., on Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024. (Doug Duran/Bay Space Information Group)

Nelson led SHP with a team-high 4 objectives and sophomore Gates Gamble had three objectives. Murdoch Baker-Matsuoka was a standout as SHP’s goalkeeper, recording 13 saves.

De La Salle senior Lukas Peters totaled 4 objectives within the loss.

“This championship just keeps setting a new standard,” stated SHP head coach Brian Kreutzkamp. “I keep telling them ‘Don’t think this is normal because it’s not.’ It’s just the standard that the seniors keep passing down to the next group and the next group, and I promise you, the next group is going to be just as hungry.”

The groups performed even all through the primary half with the Gators taking a 6-5 lead going into halftime. However it all flipped within the second half.

After Peters scored a purpose 12 seconds into the second half to tie the sport at six, SHP went on a 3-0 run to the top the interval, highlighted by two objectives from Harris and an influence play rating from junior Clay Carrington.

De La Salle bought one other rating from Peters within the fourth quarter, however that’s all of the Spartans’ offense might muster within the ultimate minutes as SHP walked away with the win.

“This was just huge,” Harris stated. “The sensation of going out a winner is unbelievable. I’m simply so joyful and pleased with everybody.

Sacred Coronary heart Prep’s Karl Sylvester (3) tries to dam De La Salle’s Lukas Peters (12) as he scores a purpose throughout their CIF NorCal Water Polo Championship in Atherton, Calif., on Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024. (Doug Duran/Bay Space Information Group)
De La Salle’s Davidka Skov (6) will get his penalty shot blocked throughout their CIF NorCal Water Polo Championship towards Sacred Coronary heart Prep in Atherton, Calif., on Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024. (Doug Duran/Bay Space Information Group)
De La Salle’s Lukas Peters (12) tries to dam a shot by Sacred Coronary heart Prep’s Clay Carrington (20) throughout their CIF NorCal Water Polo Championship in Atherton, Calif., on Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024. (Doug Duran/Bay Space Information Group)
De La Salle goalkeeper Aric Hooper tries to dam a shot throughout their CIF NorCal Water Polo Championship recreation towards Sacred Coronary heart Prep in Atherton, Calif., on Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024. (Doug Duran/Bay Space Information Group)
De La Salle’s Lukas Peters (12) scores a purpose tying within the recreation throughout their CIF NorCal Water Polo Championship towards Sacred Coronary heart Prep in Atherton, Calif., on Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024. (Doug Duran/Bay Space Information Group)
Division II
No. 2 Menlo College 12, No. 5 Clovis 6

For the total 28 minutes of Saturday’s championship match, Menlo was within the driver’s seat.

The Knights placed on an offensive show, beating Clovis 12-6 to seize its first NorCal title. Based on head coach Jack Bowen, it’s the primary NorCal title Menlo has gained throughout any sport within the faculty’s historical past.

Freshman Hunter Coleman scored a game-high 5 objectives. Adam Afar and Calvin Barad every scored twice for Menlo and goalkeeper Connor Burks had 12 saves.

“We were looking before the game at the spot the banner would be in our gym,” stated senior captain Jackson Coleman. “We felt like we had nothing to lose, even though it was the title game and we played like it. It’s a special feeling.”

Menlo bought off to a 7-3 lead within the first half and didn’t look again. The Knights’ mixture of pace and physicality appeared to have worn down Clovis by the course of the match.

For Bowen, the win was a testomony to the tradition his gamers constructed this season.

“I wanted them to see what it would be like to be a part of history,” Bowen stated. “The culture is amazing. The guys are amazing. The parent group is amazing. Menlo is supportive. Our goal was to be our best and we accomplished that here.”

Division III
No. 1 Ripon 16, No. 3 Los Altos 10

Ripon bought off to a scorching begin and didn’t look again because the Indians defeated Los Altos to seize the Division III title.

Ripon took a 6-1 lead within the first interval behind fast scoring from McKeane Beier and Brody Biedermann who every scored three objectives.

Senior William O’Shaughnessy led Los Altos with 5 objectives and junior Ferran de Witt had 4.

Ladies water polo
Division I

No. 1 Sacred Coronary heart Prep 11, No. 2 Carondelet 4

SHP’s women crew set the stage for the Division I sweep, crushing Carondelet 11-4 simply an hour earlier than the boys crew took the pool.

The Gators captured their first NorCal title and have been the primary crew exterior of the East Bay to win the NorCal Division I crown because the event began in 2017.

“To have this moment here is just so special,” stated Vivian Golub. “This is the pool where we’ve done swim sets, where I literally thought I was going to cry and where we put in all our hard work. So to win it here is definitely emotional and definitely really special.”

Each groups went at one another all through the primary half. After two quarters, SHP led simply 5-3.

However the recreation turned early within the second half.

The Gators bought two objectives from Golub and scores from Kiernan Hogan and Natalia Szczerba to take a commanding 9-4 lead going into the fourth.

The Gators protection was stable all through the second half with goalkeeper Ellison Brush recording 12 saves, 5 of which got here within the fourth interval.

“We just stuck with what we put forward,” stated SHP coach Jamie Frank. “We tried to mark up on their leading scorers. We were really just kind of hitting their strengths with our strengths, and we were better today.”

Golub ended Saturday’s match with a game-high 5 objectives whereas Hogan added three.

SHP will graduate 5 seniors, together with Golub. Golub stated the bond she constructed with this crew is one thing she is going to take along with her even after she graduates.

“I know this is my last year with this group of people, and I’m gonna miss them so much next year,” she stated. “It’s definitely very bittersweet, where like, I’m sad to be seeing them this last time but very happy and so proud of this team. I’m just really proud of everyone.”

Carondelet’s Kyra Silvestri (13) scores a purpose throughout their CIF NorCal Water Polo Championship towards Sacred Coronary heart Prep in Atherton, Calif., on Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024. (Doug Duran/Bay Space Information Group)
Carondelet’s Olivia Britton (10) seems to be for a shot throughout their CIF NorCal Water Polo Championship towards Sacred Coronary heart Prep in Atherton, Calif., on Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024. (Doug Duran/Bay Space Information Group)
De La Salle goalkeeper Aric Hooper tries to dam a shot throughout their CIF NorCal Water Polo Championship recreation towards Sacred Coronary heart Prep in Atherton, Calif., on Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024. (Doug Duran/Bay Space Information Group)
The Carondelet bench watch the ultimate minutes of their CIF NorCal Water Polo Championship towards Sacred Coronary heart Prep in Atherton, Calif., on Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024. (Doug Duran/Bay Space Information Group)
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