Girls defeat Capuchino 18-2
On Tuesday, Sept. 6, the girls water polo team impressed with an 18-2 victory against Capuchino.
In a game in which nine of the 13 players on the roster put at least one ball in the back of the net, the team’s selflessness and teamwork took center stage.
The Dons’ offense exploded on Tuesday, scoring seven goals during the first quarter, the first three of which were netted by junior Olivia Tobin in the beginning three minutes of the game.
“[Tobin] is a very experienced player, she scored a lot today, and she also helps the less experienced players on the team to improve,” says senior captain Rachel Downall.
This year’s team is identified as one with an abundance of team spirit.
Says assistant coach Lauren Padilla, “[The players] like to work together and pass to each other, they like to see each other score, so there’s a lot of camaraderie that makes the team work well together.”
In addition to having great camaraderie, the Dons have executed in the pool as well. They have begun the year outscoring their opponents 51-20 (they defeated Notre Dame 15-10 on Sept. 1, and beat Mills 18-8 on Sept. 8).
Junior Sara Frandsen has been a cornerstone to the team’s early success, as she has been a brick wall in the goal. Frandsen only allowed two goals on Tuesday, one in the second quarter, and one in the third.
“Frandsen saved a lot of goals,” Downall says, “she helps to carry us, because she can see the whole field and give us direction in the game.”
Despite a rough 2015 season which saw a demotion from the Bay League to the Ocean League due to a low finish in league, the Dons seem to have improved from last year.
Says sophomore Maria Sell, “Last year we had a hard time swimming fast and staying in control of the ball. We didn’t have as many strong players as we do this year.”
Despite their demotion, the team has maintained a positive outlook on the upcoming season, and looks forward to the upcoming challenges.
“The last time we were in the Ocean division,” Downall says, “two years ago, we won, and we’ve won all of our games so far this season, so we have high hopes for this year.”
However, no matter how the season plays out, the Dons will continue to display their love not only for the game, but for each other.
Downall finishes, “We are very much a team, in every sense of the word.”
The Dons also played against Sequoia on 9/13, and Half Moon Bay on 9/15, but these games were after the print deadline for the Aragon Outlook.
Boys victorious vs. Mustangs in season opener
The Aragon boys water polo team defeated the Capuchino Mustangs 12-6 on Tuesday, Sept. 6, in a game marked by a strong offense from team captain and hole set senior Jacob Oser. The team has high hopes for their upcoming season after a strong showing last year.
Says senior Jeremy Hsiao, “We should do really well because we placed second in [the Ocean] division last year, and we have almost the same starting lineup because only a couple of players graduated last year. We also have a stronger offensive team this year.”
The Dons are using their strong offense to their advantage. Says junior Sean Heffernan, “We stay on offense even if the other team in control of the ball, so whenever there is a turnover, or the shot clock runs down, we are ready to go straight into offense and score right away.”
Oser dominated on the offensive end on Tuesday, putting up eight goals against Capuchino, accounting for two-thirds of the total points they put on the board.
Oser’s stellar offensive gameplay comes from utilizing his own strengths to the best of his ability. “I learn a lot from my coaches, about knowing my position and how to get positional advantage, so I can score effectively,” he explains.
While offense seems to come easily for the Dons, maintaining solid defense has been a struggle, forcing senior Mikio Dahlgren to be at his best. “Mikio stepped up after our goalie graduated last year. He practices hard and puts in all of his effort…we’re relying on him a lot,” says Hsiao.
In addition to losing their former goalie, Coach Randy Kalbus is taking a break from water polo, with Carly DeMarchena, who coached junior varsity last year, taking his place.
After their strong game on Sept. 6 resulted in a 12-6 win for the Dons, the team lost 11-3 to Burlingame High School on Thursday Sept. 8.
However, the Dons aren’t discouraged by the loss. Says senior Josh Dewitt, “We had pretty bad movement, and we weren’t able to take outside shots. We were also missing some of our key players, which didn’t help. But Burlingame will probably be the hardest game this season.”
With a strong offensive-minded gameplan headed by Oser, the team is looking to put another winning season in the books.
The Dons also played against Sequoia on 9/13, and Priory on 9/15, but these games were after the print deadline for the Aragon Outlook.
