CCCAA Women's Water Polo Championship features 2017, 2018 titlists and pair of third-place finishers

LIVERMORE - The 2017 and 2019 state champions - Santa Barbara City and Fullerton - and two teams that finished third in 2018 and 2019 - San Joaquin Delta and West Valley - will collide in this Friday and Saturday's CCCAA Women’s Water Polo State Championship at Las Positas College in Livermore. This experienced quartet, all 2021 conference champions, features explosive offenses and some of the best defense and goalkeeping in recent memory.

All four squads average more than ten goals per game, with West Valley leading the way with 13.56 GPG, followed Fullerton at 13.29, Delta at 12.91 and Santa Barbara with 11.00. Defensively, SBCC leads the CCCAA with 520 steals, followed by Fullerton with a second-best 448. West Valley tops the goalkeeping stats with 403 saves and a 72.4 save %, which is just ahead of Delta’s 67%.

The tournament has been dominated by the south, with only Sierra breaking through with the 2018 championship.

Here’s a look at this weekend’s teams:

North #1 seed West Valley College Vikings
The Vikings at a glance:
Head Coach: Erika Vargas (fourth year)
2021 Record: 30-2, 9-0 Coast-North Conference
2021 Postseason: NorCal champions, Coast champions
State championships: none
Last finals appearance: 2019 (finished third)
Goals for/against: 434-154
Finals opponents results: defeated SBCC three times: 12-5 (9/11), 11-5 (9/25), 8-5 (10/29) and Delta three times: 16-7 (9/18), 8-7 (3 OT) (10/16), 11-8 (NorCal final)

The Vikings grabbed their fourth-consecutive undefeated Coast championship and second-straight NorCal title, but spent a lot of valuable time playing in SoCal tourneys. WVC has shown the ability to come from behind, thanks to two of the top players in the CCCAA. Jojo Scheer leads the CCCAA with 136 goals and 261 shots (52.1%) and Grace Smith is tops in the state with 381 saves and a 72.4 save% in 30 starts. Five players had at least 30 goals and Kiki Melvin is fifth in the CCCA with 89 goals. Maria Higginbotham is a key all-around player with 47 goals, a team-high 38 assists and 51 steals. 

North #2 seed San Joaquin Delta College Mustangs
The Mustangs at a glance:
Head Coach: Nate Varosh (10th season)
2021 Record: 23-4, 8-0 Big 8 Conference

2021 Postseason: NorCal runner-up, Big 8 champions
State championships: none
Last finals appearance: 2018 (finished third)
Goals for/against: 334-159
Finals opponents results: fell to WVC three times: 16-7 (9/18), 8-7 (3 OT) (10/16), 11-8 (NorCal final) 

The Mustangs come at teams in waves. Coach Nate Varosh employs a true platoon system, constantly sending in six fresh players. The Mustangs feature four players with 30 or more goals, led by Olivia Taylor’s 57. Hannah Wilson is a top all-around player with 30 goals, 54 assists and 36 steals. Natalie Johnston, with a team-high 60 steals, is a key defender. Delta has depth at goal, with starter Camryn O’Neal making 155 saves for a 65.7 save% in 14 games. Backup Arianna Graziano is 8-1 with 111 saves and a 67.7 save% in 11 games. 

South #1 seed Santa Barbara City College Vaqueros
The Vaqueros at a glance:
Head Coach: Chuckie Roth (8th season)
2021 Record: 29-6, 7-0 Western State Conference
2021 Postseason: SoCal champions, Western State champions
State championships: 1 (2017)
Last finals appearance: 2018 (4th place)
Goals for/against: 385-214
Finals opponents results: Fell to West Valley three times: 12-5 (9/11), 11-5 (9/25), 8-5 (10/29), defeated Fullerton four times: 8-7 (9/24), 8-7 (2OT) (10-1), 6-5 (10/9), 10-9 (SoCal championship)

Talk about balance. The Vaqueros score 11 goals-per-game, grab a CCCAA-best 520 steals and stop a state fourth-best 60.7% of opponents’ shots. Eden Tal is one of the state’s best all-around drivers, leading SBCC in three categories: goals (74), assists (36) and steals (67). When she’s in the water with Jenna Olsen (53 goals, 24 assists, 63 steals) and Megan Ditlof (44 goals, 15 assists, 45 steals), the Vaqueros can be tough on both ends of the pool. Keeper Chloe McKay has played every minute in 2021 and leads the state with 28 wins and is third with 279 saves (60.7 save %).  

South #2 seed Fullerton College Hornets
The Hornets at a glance:
Head Coach: Gabriel Martinez (14th year)
2021 Record: 28-7, 7-0 Orange Empire Conference
2021 Postseason: SoCal runner-up, Orange Empire champions
State championships: two (2014, 2019)Last finals appearance: 2019 (champions)
Goals for/against: 465-239
Finals opponents results: fell to SBCC four times: 8-7 (9/24), 8-7 (2 OT) (10/1), 6-5 (10/9), 10-9 (SoCal final)

The defending state champions can light up the scoreboard with a CCCAA fourth-best 13.29 GPG. Seven Hornets have scored at least 30 goals in 2012, led by Neida Torres’s 83. Adrianna Wong is one of the state’s best all-around attackers with 56 goals, 56 assists and 62 steals. The versatile Julissa Velasquez has compiled 46 goals, 44 assists and 69 of Fullerton’s 448 steals, which placed them second behind SBCC. Alexis Storman and Kathryn Whittingham have both logged significant time in the cage. Storman is 19-4 with 110 saves, a 61.8 save % and only 68 goals-against in 52 quarters of work. Whittingham has 214 saves, a 58.5 save% and 152 goals-against in 79 quarters.

(Matt Folsom. CCCSIA)