Girls water polo preview: Harbor hopes to better last year’s effort

Steve Virgen

The beauty of the upcoming season for the Newport Harbor High girls

water polo team is that it’s a new year, a chance to make everyone forget

that first-round exit in the CIF Southern Section Division I playoffs.

“It’s a new season,” Sailors Co-coach Bill Barnett said. “You can’t

worry about what happened last season. Our focus this year is mainly

winning league to start with. Once we get to CIF, that will take care of

itself.”

Last year, Capistrano Valley ended the Sailors hopes of repeating as

CIF champions, 7-6, as Harbor went 0-for-6 on man-up opportunities.

This season, the Sailors will look to get back to the playoffs with

their core of returning starters: Katherine Belden, Erin Ball, Erin Kelly

Bates, Jenna Murphy and goalie Heather Deyden. Belden and Deyden, a

second-team All-Sea View League performer last year, are two-year

starters.

“(Belden) brings us a lot of experience,” Barnett said of the

returning second-team All-CIF selection. “Hopefully, she brings some

leadership.”

Murphy is suffering from an injured shoulder at the moment and Barnett

called that a tough loss because she is a left-hander. He is not sure

when she will be ready to play.

A great deal of the Sailors success will depend on the newcomers. With

Kyndra Cox, a first-team All-CIF two-meter player, playing at UC

Berkeley, Barnett is hoping sophomore Jenna Booth will step in.

“She’s got to fill Kyndra’s shoes,” Barnett said of Booth’s role this

year.

Sophomores Annie Wight and Paige Lansing were on the 24-0 frosh/soph

team last year. Both will try to erase the varsity’s memory of last year

and bring some consistency. Barnett said last year was an up and down

season.

The Sailors will look to improve this season with leadership stemming

from nine seniors, Deyden, Ball, Bates, Booth, Caitlin Adams, Polly

Dolkas, Elizabeth Donald, Emily Glassic and Casey Hill. Harbor will be

balanced with youthful talent Jessica Ball, a freshman.

The Sailors will begin preparing for their Sea View League title quest

Dec. 7 against nonleague visitor Long Beach Wilson.

NEWPORT HARBOR GIRLS WATER POLO

Heather Deyden Sr.

Erin Ball Sr.

Erin Kelly Bates Sr.

Katherine Belden Jr.

Jenna Booth Sr.

Jenna Murphy So.

Annie Wight So.

Jessica Ball Fr.

Caitlin Adams Sr.

Polly Dolkas Sr.

Elizabeth Donald Sr.

Emily Glassic Sr.

Casey Hill Sr.

Paige Lansing So.

Co-coaches Bill Barnett, Brian Kreutzkamp