Girls Water Polo Wins Third Straight League Championship; Prepare for Playoffs

The Mar Vista High School Girls Water Polo team is preparing to face the Santana High School Sultans in the first round of the CIF San Diego Division III playoffs.

The game will take place at 3:30 p.m. at Santana High School.

With a 12-8 win over Castle Park High School the team finished the season last week with a perfect 8-0 record (20-7 overall) to bring Mar Vista its third straight South Bay Metro league championship.

The Mariners also finished last season undefeated in league play.

"Every season begins with two weeks of two practices a day. They come in before 6 a.m. and swim and practice after school," said Head Coach Chad Kavanaugh.

Stability has been a big contributor to the team's success over the years.

"Once a kid tries out and plays a season we usually have that same kid play with us all the way through to their senior year," he said.

The Imperial Beach Swim Team also helped strengthen young athlete's swimming skills and speed before becoming members of the water polo team, Kavanaugh said.

Players that made the biggest difference for the team this year include Reily Landry, who has scored near 90 goals, or roughly one in three of every goals all season.

Other standout players include twins Rebecca and Samantha Smith, Ashley MacAskill and freshman Isabelle Hastings also stepped up to play big roles for a team that lost a lot of seniors last year, Kavanaugh said. The team lost eight of its 20 players to gradution last year.

To win Wednesday the team will need to stop Santana's best shooter, Amber Schisler, he said.

"We need to shut down number 10, she is their best shooter. Overall we have a great chance of winning.  It will take teamwork, but I think we have a speed advantage," Kavanagh said.

If Mar Vista wins Wednesday the team will face #1 seed Bishops High School at La Jolla High School Friday at 4 p.m.