Having already made some history, the Los Gatos High girls water polo team looks to take its season into rarefied air.
The Wildcats are 26-1 entering the upcoming Central Coast Section playoffs after running the table in the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League’s De Anza Division. They went a perfect 14-0 in the league season and followed that up with an equally dominant run in the division tournament, outscoring three opponents by a combined margin of 44-12.
That included a 14-8 victory over Castilleja on Oct. 29 at Lynbrook High in a championship match which was effectively over by halftime. The Wildcats led 9-1 at the half and 13-2 entering the final quarter when coach Don Appleton started shuffling players in and out of the pool.
Karly Frangieh scored four goals, Lily Van Putten and Ella Ralston had three scores each and Karissa Elliott two as Los Gatos won its eighth league title in Appleton’s 12 years at the helm. This is also believed to be the first time in that span that a team has gone unbeaten in both the De Anza Division league season and tournament.
“It’s been a lot of fun,” Appleton said. “We have a great athletic department and a great athletic director with Ken (Perrotti). They’ve given us everything we need to be successful. There’s been a lot of odd things that’s happened this season, with pools closing and transportation changes. And Ken and the rest of the school have handled everything with a smile and let us just worry about competing, and that’s where myself and the girls have really benefited.”
Now it’s on to the CCS Open Division playoffs, which starts on Nov. 5 and features the eight best teams in the section. Los Gatos is ranked No. 8 in the state by Max Preps and expected to be joined in the field by No. 2 Soquel, No. 5 Sacred Heart Prep, No. 11 Menlo School, No. 14 St. Francis, and No. 16 Harker, with No. 22 Castilleja, No. 24 St. Ignatius and No. 25 Aptos most likely filling out two of the last three spots.
Outside of Soquel, Los Gatos has a resume as good as any of the other teams in the section. Appleton said the team’s rise to the section’s elite has correlated with all of the players’ work they’ve done not just in the pool but outside the pool for the last couple of years.
Appleton said consistent video/game film sessions and communication allow the players to see what they’re doing well but more importantly what they can improve on, and those things are worked on over time in practice.
“Now they have a little more belief in what they’re doing, and they’re just really buying in,” he said. “A few years of hard work is what you’re seeing here, it’s not anything we’ve done this season.”
Entering the league tournament title game, Los Gatos had already beaten Castilleja twice, with the most recent match being a 10-9 squeaker. Granted, it was at Castilleja’s pool, which is noticeably smaller than a regular-sized pool.
For the third meeting, the Wildcats’ plan was to jump on the Gators early and put them away, which is exactly what they did. Los Gatos scored in the opening minute and poured it on from there.
“That first possession was exactly what we drew up on our whiteboard,” Appleton said. “It’s exactly what we did, it’s exactly how we scored that first goal, and from there it was off to the races.”
A state-level swimmer, Frangieh has diversified her game which has made the Wildcats that much more dangerous. The junior standout set up teammates in the beginning before doing what she does best: getting behind the defense for counter attacks.
“Karly does what she does,” Appleton said. “Having a kid that quick helps, but now she’s improving her game as well. In the first quarter she was distributing a lot because everyone knows the game plan is to make sure Karly can’t score on the counter attack. So now when they’re taking care of her counter attack, she’s learning how to lay out and find free men, and so she’s come a long way.”
Even though the Wildcats found different ways to score, it’s not as if they had to plan anything special.
“So the funny thing is our offensive themes haven’t changed all season,” Appleton said. “It’s just our ability to recognize situations and execute has just gotten better and better throughout the season and today they really showed it.”
Goalie Rachel Stephens had 10 saves and once again showed an acumen in the cage. Appleton said Stephens was a big reason why the team delivered a top-notch defensive performance.
“I think Rachel is having a great season,” he said. “She’s maturing into a real goalkeeper, not just a kid who gets in the way of balls. The way she’s understanding defense, her positioning, and we’re planning on where we want shots coming from and those are the things we go over in practice over and over again so it’s just another day in the office for her at this point.”
Van Putten had her usual huge impact, drawing five ejections and finishing with two steals. Her physical play makes a difference on both ends of the pool. Elliott and Ralston had terrific all-around games, and Julia Ernsting excelled defensively, finishing with four steals.
Maily Isaacs had a goal and two assists as she continued her comeback after suffering a concussion early in the season. Because Isaacs’ injury has forced her in and out of the lineup throughout the season, the depth of the program has shown.
“Abby Lockman is first off the bench and she’s definitely figuring out how to prevent goals,” Appleton said. “She’s been doing a lot of good work in the center.”
Freshman Eloise Moore got some valuable minutes in the three league tournament games and thrived.
“She’s been getting more minutes, and learning this level of the game now which she’ll be able to carry into her off-season training,” Appleton said. … “Focusing on this year, but you’re always looking at what’s coming down the pike.”
Sports editor Emanuel Lee can be reached at el**@we*****.com
