If only Sobrato boys water polo had a better turnout last year. Coach Dave Letts wouldn’t have had to wait so long to bring Lucas Salem up to varsity, and the Bulldogs wouldn’t have had to wait so long to transform into a Central Coast Section playoff contender. They began the season with a 17-4 loss to Live Oak, and ended it by beating the rival Acorns — 15-7 — for the first time at the Blossom Valley Athletic League Tournament, and losing by close margin to Willow Glen in a semifinal that decided the league’s final playoff invite
MORGAN HILL
If only Sobrato boys water polo had a better turnout last year.
Coach Dave Letts wouldn’t have had to wait so long to bring Lucas Salem up to varsity, and the Bulldogs wouldn’t have had to wait so long to transform into a Central Coast Section playoff contender.
They began the season with a 17-4 loss to Live Oak, and ended it by beating the rival Acorns — 15-7 — for the first time at the Blossom Valley Athletic League Tournament, and losing by close margin to Willow Glen in a semifinal that decided the league’s final playoff invite.
The difference came with the addition of Salem, now a junior.
“He brought a great, all-around player we needed,” Letts said Wednesday, as his team practiced for this week’s highly competitive John Schmitt Memorial Tournament. “He goes all out. He just has this confidence, too. He’s not a big talker, but he leads by example. He wants to win.”
With Salem back in the lineup among six veteran starters — including all-league hole set Adam Jasper and second-team all-league goalie Patrick Read — the Bulldogs shouldn’t have to wait nearly as long to get the ball rolling this fall.
They are gunning for Sobrato’s first CCS playoff berth in boys or girls water polo. But first, the Bulldogs want to have a competitive showing in the Schmitt Tournament, where they will face some of the top programs in Northern California.
Their schedule also features key opponents in Valley Christian on Sept. 30, Live Oak on Oct. 5 and Mount Hamilton Division juggernaut Leland on Oct. 26.
“It’s a good opportunity. I’ve been looking forward to this for a long time,” said Jasper, a fourth-year starter who looks noticeably stronger and more improved after a vigorous offseason. “I’ll be doing an intense (work out) and thinking, ‘All right, Bellarmine can definitely be doing this. Serra’s definitely doing this. I need to be able to do this.’ That’s my motivation, same with the rest of the guys.”
Sobrato should be a force on offense with Jasper in the middle surrounded by fast, physical veterans in Will Watson — a fourth-year starting utilityman with a great shot — Logan Mosher, Garrett Jenks, Gio Chau and Salem. Letts, however, is more excited about his team’s defense.
“A lot of guys swam last year and should be able to counter attack against any team we face,” the second-year coach said. “I think we’ve got a great mix of talent and experience. It’ll be nice having them all together on varsity for the whole season.”
SHS GIRLS
The Lady Bulldogs were happy to stay in the Mount Hamilton Division despite finishing 1-4 in the conference a year ago. That’s because they return a decent core of talent, and a playoff-savvy first-year coach in Cameron Peachey, who guided Live Oak’s girls team to sectionals from 2008-09.
Peachey wants his team to play as the aggressor this fall.
“In a game situation, all the girls need to push themselves extremely hard,” he said. “I’m actually excited to see how it goes.”
Sobrato is led by captains Eve Okamura, a fourth-year starter, and junior Gabrielle Smith, one of the strongest swimmers in the school. Senior Erica Svenson is in her second year as starting goalie.
Younger talents include Maya Read and Laeni Gross.
“A lot of us played together over the summer and came together,” Okamura said. “I have no doubt we can get in that top four and qualify for CCS.”
LOHS BOYS
The loss of Danny Robinson, one of the Acorns’ all-time leading goal-scorers, leaves Live Oak needing to change its style for 2011.
That’s not necessarily a bad thing, according to Mack Haines.
“It’s going to hurt not having Danny there to carry our scoring, but it’ll enforce the rest of the people to play a more team-orientated type of game,” said Haines, now in his 26th season at LOHS. “I’m looking forward to that.
“We’re gonna have to play really good defense, and we’re gonna need some of our key defensive guys in the past to have more of a role on offense.”
That includes the dynamic duo of fourth-year starters Saul Orona — a second-team all-league set in 2010 — and Haines’ son, Connor. Both should see a spike in their goals this season, thanks in part to the improved play of second-year starting goalie Nick Hofmann.
“Last year was Nick’s first year ever playing competitive water polo,” Haines said. “We had to minimize shots against him. This year he’s improved so much that we’re running plays we couldn’t run before.”
The Acorns’ other returning starters are Nathaniel Batey and David Molyneux.
There is ample reason to believe Live Oak can once again reach the CCS Division II quarterfinals.
LOHS GIRLS
The Live Oak girls have two weeks to prepare for their next game — a Sept. 22 nonleague match against Valley Christian — and to establish an identity.
Headed by second-year coach Sara Crusinberry, the Acorns replace three impact players from 2010, including Mount Hamilton Division Senior of the Year Rachel Cretcher, now with Long Beach State.
Live Oak’s unquestioned leader is second-year starter Marissa Sendejas, who made second-team all-league as a sophomore in 2010. The rest of the projected lineup comprises Skye Morris, Andrea Topete, Morgan Teddleton, Cristina Avina and junior goalie Gina Acevedo — all veterans.
