Building blocks

Joseph Boo

CORONA DEL MAR - Last year, Corona del Mar High’s girls water polo

team won two games. This year, CdM already won its first three. What

happened?

Well, an inexperienced team from last year got older and wiser, and the

young kids coming in are accomplished talents who have contributed

immediately.

The key returnees are seniors Hayley Hapeman and Melinda Tucker, who form

a dangerous outside-inside combination. Hapeman is a good driver, with a

nice outside shot, according to CdM Coach Tom Norton. She leads the Sea

Kings in goals scored this year.

Tucker, a leader on last year’s team, is a strong presence in the

two-meter spot. She has been dangerous on brute force alone. Norton said

she could be even more imposing if she develops some more offensive

moves.

Senior Arin Hendrickson returns to play goalie. Other seniors on the team

are Colby Dyer, Ellen Orbe, Catherine Stockstill and Molly Strack. The

two juniors are Malia Tarayao and Lindsay Daley. Tarayao is one of the

team’s top returners.

But CdM’s turnaround is not possible without the play of two freshmen.

Danielle Carlson and Christina Hewko have made the Sea Kings’ offensive

attack formidable.

“Hewko is the fastest swimmer on the team,” Norton said. “She’s a

workhorse.

“Carlson is dominating. She really knows the game well from four years of

junior water polo.”

Both Hewko and Carlson have been regular scoring threats for CdM. The

young Sea Kings squad is also comprised of freshmen Daniela DiGiacomo,

Jessica Harkins, and sophomores Jessica Fries, Lauren Guthrie and Heather

Hapeman.

This year’s CdM squad has a lot more talent than last year’s. With this

collective, Norton is looking at another local team for inspiration in

coaching.

“It’s like the Lakers,” he said. “Phil Jackson put them through 2 1/2

hour drills doing nothing but ballhandling. We’re going to focus on

fundamentals like that.”

Norton stresses that fundamentals and conditioning are the key to the

season.

“We scored six goals in the first half in our opener (against El

Modena),” he said. “But we only won, 7-4. We want to play like the first

half for all four quarters.”

So far, Norton’s plan is a success, although it wasn’t hard to surpass

last year. But he believes the team is capable of a lot more.

“We’ve drastically improved,” he said, “and our goal is to win league and

make CIF.”

Roster

Arin Hendrickson Sr.

Hayley Hapeman Sr.

Melinda Tucker Sr.

Malia Tarayao Jr.

Danielle Carlson Fr.

Christina Hewko Fr.

Colby Dyer Sr.

Ellen Orbe Sr.

Catherine Stockstill Sr.

Molly Strack Sr.

Lindsay Daley Jr.

Jessica Fries So.

Lauren Guthrie So.

Heather Hapeman So.

Daniela DiGiacomo Fr.

Jessica Harkins Fr.

Coach: Tom Norton