The Culver City girls’ water polo teams are hoping to have a successful season after the varsity team won four out five games last week in the Los Altos tournament. In their first round game they beat Valley View 16-2 and in the second round match they knocked off Fullerton 9-3. In their third game they beat Montclair 13-2 and their fourth win of the tournament was a 9-0 win over Roland. In the finals they lost to Mayfield 11-5.
The biggest challenge the Centaurs face is the always tough Ocean league. Santa Monica looks like the team to beat this year and El Segundo looks solid. “It’s early but our goal is to make the CIF playoffs,” said head coach Nestor Dordoni Sr. after practice on last Monday. “The girls have been practicing very hard every day but we have two weeks between games so I hope that does not affect our timing.”
One thing Dordoni Sr. can count on will be a high number of players that have signed up for the 2015-16 season. There are 16 varsity players and 25 junior varsity players that will wear the Culver City uniform in the pool this season.
On the top of the varsity list will be senior captains Lily Gardner, Tara Hillard and Amber Kennedy and goal keeper Campbell. “Grace is really playing well for us right now,” said Dordoni Sr.
Every youth and high school team in America needs help from volunteer parents and the parent that has stepped up to the plate this year for the girl’s water polo teams is Curtis Rooks. “Whatever I need him to do, he will do it,” said Dordoni Sr. “He helps us coach and a lot of other things. We are fortunate to have him.”