The Bonita Vista High School girls water polo team faced off the 2016-17 season with a somewhat intimidating 12-0 record.
The team dropped its first two games of the season in the finals of last weekend’s East County Invitational. Bonita Vista suffered its first loss of the season, 8-4, to West Hills in the tournament semifinals.
The Lady Barons then dropped a 6-5 decision to Ramona in the third-place game.
Bonita Vista (13-2) is now working on another undefeated streak after improving to 4-0 in Mesa League play following Tuesday evening’s 17-4 victory against Olympian at the Parkway pool.
BVHS head coach Betty Alexander remains highly upbeat on this year’s senior-laden squad. Another long winning streak could result in a league championship.
“They are a solid nine where I can trust the bench to come in (as substitutes),” explained Alexander, who is coaching her eighth season with the team. “What makes it nice is that a lot of the players have pre-high school experience. Our five seniors have been playing in the program for four years.
“Having so many seniors who have played together for so long makes the team chemistry work. I don’t have one player who stands out from the rest. Everyone contributes.”
Brianna Villalva led Bonita Vista in scoring on Tuesday with six goals while Genova Lucatero tallied five goals. Adrianna Orozco scored two goals while Sierra Kriss, Juliana Pierce, Sam Medlam and Jasmyn Austin each scored one goal.
Goalie Emily Williams was credited with five saves and one assist.
Pierce led the victors with six steals while Kriss and Medlam each recorded four steals as steam rose from the water into the cold night air.
Lucatero was especially dangerous when gaining inside water in front of the cage.
Lucatero scored two goals in the tournament placement game against Ramona while Villalva and Giovanna Ikeda each collected one goal and one assist. Medlam also scored once while Pierce had three assists.
Williams made nine saves and had one assist in the loss to the Lady Bulldogs.
What could the rest of the season bring for Alexander’s team?
The Lady Baron entered Tuesday’s game third in the San Diego Section Division II power rankings, followed by Mesa League rivals Eastlake in fourth and Hilltop in fifth.
West Hills, which defeated Clairemont by a score of 8-3 to win last weekend’s tournament, is second in the division power rankings behind top-ranked Del Norte (16-4).
“We want to win our league banner back,” Alexander said. “When I played for Bonita we never lost it.”
There are other goals, too. Alexander’s BVHS boys team advanced to the CIF championship game during the 2015 fall season.
“Hopefully, we can do that with the girls team as well,” she said.
Metro Conference teams participate in wet and wild East County Invitational
The East County Invitational wrapped up over a truly wet and wild weekend with intermittent downpours playing havoc with the action.
Due to the inclement weather, some teams played only four games in their respective groups.
Playoffs and finals took place Saturday, Jan. 21, at West Hills and El Capitan high schools. Two Metro Conference teams earned top eight place-finishes.
In the championship game, West Hills defeated Clairemont 8-4.
In the third place game, Ramona edged Bonita Vista 6-5.
In the fifth place game, El Capitan tipped Point Loma 4-3.
In the seventh place game Santana defeated Mar Vista 11-5.
A total of seven Metro teams participated in this year’s event. Teams that won their first game remained in contention for top eight place-finishes.
Bonita Vista placed in fourth with a 3-2 tournament record, including losses in the semifinals and the third-place game.
Mar Vista placed eighth with a 1-4 record.
Hilltop and Olympian, both with 3-1 tourney records, tied for ninth place while Mater Dei Catholic tied for 10th place.
San Ysidro and Southwest both finished tournament play 0-4.
East County Invitational
Medal-round Games
Championship: West Hills 8, Clairemont 3
Third place: Ramona 6, Bonita Vista 5
Fifth place: El Capitan 4, Point Loma 3
Seventh place: Santana 11, Mar Vista 5
Semifinals: West Hills 8, Bonita Vista 4; Clairemont 3, Ramona 2
Pool rounds
Bonita Vista 10, Classical Academy 8
Bonita Vista 9, Point Loma 2
Bonita Vista 19, Escondido 5
Mar Vista 12, Monte Vista 2
Point Loma 8, Mar Vista 3
Santana 11, Mar Vista 5
El Capitan 10, Mar Vista 2
Santana 8, Hilltop 7
Hilltop 18 Orange Glen 2
Hilltop 16, San Ysidro 2
Hilltop 17 Santa Fe Christian 1
Point Loma 9, Oympian 2
Olympian 9, Monte Vista 4
Olympian 17, San Ysidro 1
Olympian 13, Santa Fe Christian 2
Mater Dei Catholic 13, Santa Fe Christian 5
Clairemont 15, Mater Dei Catholic 5
Classical Academy 4, Mater Dei Catholic 3
Mater Dei Catholic 12, San Pasqual 7
Mesa League Girls
Water Polo Scoreboard
Wednesday, Dec. 7
Eastlake 5, Otay Ranch 4
Monday, Jan. 9
Eastlake 15, Olympian 1
Tuesday, Jan. 10
Mar Vista 11, Otay Ranch 6
Thursday, Jan. 12
Bonita VIsta 16, Eastlake 8
Tuesday, Jan. 17
Bonita Vista 19, Mar Vista 5
Hilltop 11, Olympian 3
Eastlake 10, Otay Ranch 5
Thursday, Jan. 19
Bonita Vista 7, Otay Ranch 2
Mar Vista 6, Olympian 5
Eastlake 12, Hilltop 9
Tuesday, Jan. 24
Bonita Vista 17, Olympian 4
Hilltop 9, Otay Ranch 7
