Focus remains same with Sage girls polo

Steve Virgen

This is how the Sage Hill School ended its girls water polo season

last year: Stephanie Roeser scored a last-second goal at two meters

for a 9-8 win over Los Amigos, which gave the Lightning consideration

for an at-large berth into the CIF Southern Section Division V

playoffs.

But Sage Hill was denied. Fast forward to this season and it’s

easy to guess what the Lightning’s main goal is. The team has a new

coach, but the focus has remained the same.

Jeff Andrews, who coached Sage Hill’s boys water polo team, will

also be the head man for the girls team. Along with Roeser, now a

sophomore, Andrews has Hayden Hutchison, the team’s lone senior and

go-to player.

Hutchison has been with the program since it began and is eager to

help lead the Lightning to the playoffs. She scored six goals in that

game against Los Amigos, as Sage Hill finished 9-7.

“I think the girls have pretty good speed,” said Andrews who

guided the boys to a 7-10 record. “We’re pretty athletic and our

front-court defense is pretty strong. Our strongest player is Hayden.

She’s our only senior. She’s kind of like the founding mother of the

team. She has been there all four years for the team since it

started. She’s a solid two-meter player. She’s also a very good

leader. She has good skills.”

Andrews has been aware of his players due to having known former

coach, Genai Kerr, so well. They are teammates for the Newport Harbor

Water Polo Foundation. They are also UC Irvine alumni. Andrews earned

honorable mention for All-American honors as an Anteater.

Andrews stepped up to coach at Sage Hill when there was an

opening, as Kerr’s schedule became demanding because he is a goalie

for the United States men’s national team. Kerr left behind some

notes, but the team’s motivation to reach the playoffs has been

evident from the start.

In addition to Hutchison and Roeser, the Lightning will also

feature sophomore Elle White, a solid defender and an accurate

shooter, as well as junior Devin Tooma and junior goalie Katherine

Bishop.

Just as he hoped for the boys program, Andrews wants Sage Hill to

become part of a league and leave its freelance status behind in

girls water polo. He’s hoping to get the Lightning into the Garden

Grove League.

Until then, the playoffs are the goal for the Lightning, which

opened 2-6.

“The girls have been working really hard,” Andrews said. “They are

eager to learn and it has been an absolute pleasure getting to know

them.”