Daily Pilot Athlete of the Week: Christina Hewko

Barry Faulkner

This just in: Exhaustive research has determined there is something

that covers more of the pool than Corona del Mar High girls water polo

standout Christina Hewko.

But when was the last time chlorine actually scored a goal?

Scoring goals is but one of the elements the two-time first-team

All-CIF Southern Section Division IV and All-Pacific Coast League

performer brings to the Sea Kings.

First-year CdM Coach Aaron Chaney, in fact, believes the junior

utility player may be as complete a prep package as any currently

slipping into a suit.

“She might not stand out in one area, but she stands out because she

does so much,” Chaney said. “Anyone who watches her usually comments

about her being all over the place. And I think she may actually be

underrated.”

Chaney continues to find new uses for the myriad talents Hewko brings

to the Sea Kings, who take a 4-0 record into Friday’s Back Bay showdown

with 4-0 Newport Harbor.

“She can set two meters, she can guard two meters, she’ll

counterattack and she’ll drive,” Chaney said. “She’s a good shooter on

our extra-man offense and, defensively, we usually try to match her up

with the other team’s best offensive player. She has speed, quickness and

endurance.”

And then there are the intangibles.

“She’s an extremely hard worker who goes 100% all the time,” added

Chaney, who was first introduced to Hewko when he filled in for

then-coach John Vargas two summers ago. “And she’s a leader by example

because the girls look up to her.”

Chaney said the progress in Hewko’s game is evident since the summer

before her sophomore year.

“Since I coached her last, she has improved a lot,” Chaney said. “She

has played a lot more defense at two meters and her shooting has

improved.”

Hewko used her refined all-around game to help the Sea Kings earn two

nonleague victories last week. The Daily Pilot Athlete of the Week scored

a team-high five goals Dec. 12 in a 12-3 romp over Esperanza.

She then produced three goals and played sterling defense to help

limit Long Beach Wilson senior Cassie Azevedo to four goals in a 10-8 CdM

triumph Friday.

Hewko, who estimated her grade-point average at 3.8, said she enjoys

playing several roles.

“I like to learn different positions,” she said. “It keeps me from

getting sick of the same thing. (Variety) makes it a lot of fun. There’s

always something I can improve on every day.”

She said she enjoys offense and defense equally, though she admits

scoring a goal is more fun than battling an opponent as a two-meter

defender.

“Guarding Azevedo was really like a war,” she said. “We were really

beating on each other.”

Chaney said Hewko’s 5-foot-10, 140-pound frame allows her to more than

hold her own physically.

Hewko began playing water polo at age 9 and her fascination with the

sport led her to choose it over soccer, before entering high school. She

believes soccer, however, helped forge her intense competitive spirit.

“I’m always trying to get better at whatever I do,” she said.

Though very goal oriented, Hewko said she doesn’t let winning and

losing determine her success.

“To me, it’s about the experience, the journey,” she said.

Hewko expects that journey to continue into collegiate competition

and, perhaps, beyond.

“I definitely want to play in college and maybe even go to the

Olympics,” she said.