Teamwork, as well as talent, is a key to the Miramonte girls’ water polo team’s success this year – as can be seen in this defensive wall of arms. The girls, like the boys, have played an extremely difficult schedule, and both teams feel the level of competition they have faced will have them ready for a challenging postseason.
Winning a league title is fun. Winning a North Coast Section (NCS) championship is a big deal. A state title? Spectacular.
But for Miramonte’s two water polo teams, California is not a big enough pool. They are both nationally ranked, with the girls No. 1 in the United States, and the boys No. 2 at press time.
The girls are ranked No. 1 in the country and in California with a 15-2 record, while the boys are No. 2 nationally at 11-2.
Nothing, however, is guaranteed, as both teams have lots of big games ahead – but their goals are simple: win it all, officially marking themselves the top teams in Northern California.
Girls
The Matadors are 15-2 this season, with their only losses coming to Campolindo and Soquel. They have defeated several of Northern California’s top teams, including Carondelet, San Ramon Valley and Sacred Heart Prep – the very teams they’d need to beat to claim the Northern California state title. Plus, they’ve won several major tournaments, including the Acalanes Invitational.
“We’ve been playing the best teams in California,” coach John Roemer said. “That’s why our strength of schedule is so high.”
Roemer identified junior goalkeeper Joslyn Cox, junior Hannah Gardner and sophomore Ana Shogan as the team’s top players. If that sounds young to you, you’d be right: this year’s success comes from a remarkably young roster, with 14 of the 22 players being underclassmen.
The team, which runs a motion offense, follows a demanding practice schedule: five afternoon practices and two morning weight sessions each week.
Cox believes the girls’ success comes from their high standards.
“We’ve been really successful this year because we’re a very close team and we all share a common goal of winning this year,” Cox said. “The hardest team we play should be ourselves in practice.”
That chemistry extends outside the pool. Sophomore Greta Cole said the team has “families,” small groups made up of JV and varsity players that participate in challenges and spend time together.
“We have a lot of talented players, but we also play really well together and everyone contributes to the team,” Cole said.
Boys
The 11-2 boys have defeated some of California’s top programs as well, including Sacred Heart, Campolindo and La Jolla, the defending CIF-San Diego champion.
Their two losses came against Cathedral Catholic and Newport Harbor, two elite Southern California schools. The Newport loss came in three overtimes, but luckily for the Mats, they got a second chance.
When Miramonte faced Newport in rematch, the Matadors notched a 16-11 victory – their first win over Newport since 2015, and a huge goal of the team’s, according to co-head coach Drew Holland.
Holland cited the team’s fitness, counterattacking and culture as its greatest strengths.
“Our staff is proud to coach such a hard-working, tough and bought-in group of young men,” Holland said. “Their work in practice, and team-first mentality is truly impressive.”
That counterattacking speed is spurred by significant senior leaders. Senior Trent Smith, a UCLA commit, recently helped lead Team USA to a U-19 Pan Am championship in Barau, Brazil. USA knocked off Brazil 18-13 in the final in a hostile environment.
Seniors Grayson Bloes and Brady Hassett are committed to Brown and Cal, respectively.
Yet Bloes said individual talent isn’t what separates this year’s team.
“We are a cohesive unit instead of a group of individuals trying to play for ourselves,” he said. “Each and every person is willing to sacrifice for the team’s success.”
That mentality will be especially important in the postseason.
Last year, Miramonte won the NCS Open Division championship 15-7 over Campolindo before falling to Sacred Heart Prep 11-10 in the CIF NorCal Division I final on a goal in the final second.
Looking Ahead
For the boys, postseason will determine whether the Matadors can finish where they came up one goal short last year.
For the girls, it would require maintaining their No. 1 status by successfully battling the same elite programs that have made its strength of schedule one of the highest in the state. When asked for the team’s final goal, Roemer’s answer was simple, “Win it all.”
