Girls finish strong at Junior Olympics

The Huntington Beach Water Polo Club’s 16-and-under girls’ team

finished 21st at the 2004 Junior Olympics water polo tournament at

Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

The team, coached by Stalin Reyes, was making its first venture to

the Junior Olympics. In the match for 21st-place, Huntington edged

Ventura 5-4.

In its first bracket game, the team defeated Houston 5-2 and

advanced to face a tough Golden Bear A team, which defeated

Huntington 7-3.

Huntington next lost to TRAP, which went on to place fourth in the

tournament, 15-1. The team also was defeated by San Diego Shores 7-6,

tied Marin 5-5 and defeated American River 7-3.

Overall, Huntington went 3-3-1.

More than 40 teams competed in the 16-and-under tournament, which

was played in stormy weather conditions.

“This is the first time we’ve sent one of our teams to the Junior

Olympics, so were really excited with how the girls fared,” said Alex

Alvarez, director of the Huntington Beach Water Polo Club. “I was

just happy to send a team and this is a team made up of girls who

love to play.

“What’s neat about this team is that the girls are scattered and

not from just one high school. They come from Edison, Huntington

Beach and Marina. It’s a great group.”

Prior to the Junior Olympics, the team won its own Huntington

Beach High School Water Polo 16U Tournament.

Huntington Beach Water Polo Club holds practices year-round at the

Huntington Beach High pool.

The 16U team is composed of Sharon Baillie, Jamie Bee, Nash

Bellows, Emily Clopp, Rebecca Clopp, Jessica Hornstein, Katelyn

Jenkins, Keeley McCormack, Lauren Reilly and Katie Springer.