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Sports

Bishop's Claims 8th Water Polo Title by Beating LJHS

The Lady Knights build a big lead and withstand a late Vikings rally for a 10-6 victory.

History was served Saturday night–chilled, windy and wet—at the Coggan Family Aquatic Center.

Sophomore Jessie Webster scored four goals as The Bishop’s School withstood a strong late rally by La Jolla High and captured its record eighth CIF San Diego Section girls water polo championship by a 10-6 score, this one in the newly created Division III.

The Knights (24-4) had lost the last three Division II titles to Coronado High, which they beat in the semifinals. In fact, Bishop's has made the finals every year since division play began in 1998, with eight titles and six runner-up finishes. The Vikings (21-8) were playing in their first-ever final, coincidentally in their home pool.

“We knew that La Jolla would be very excited to be playing today in their own pool and to be playing in their first final,”said Webster. “That’s why I think it was important for us to get off to a quick start.”

And that’s exactly what the Knights did.  Junior Erin Pannek rifled a cross shot into the net just two minutes into the game.

Senior Kaylee Kastrup scored off a corner throw making it 2-0 before La Jolla High’s Ariel Archiacono beat Bishop’s goalie Gabby Stone on a rebound cutting the lead to 2-1.

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With time winding down in the first period, Stone and Webster worked their magic, with Stone’s brilliant outlet pass getting to Webster, who beat La Jolla goalie Stevie Schweighardt and the clock to make it 3-1.

“I had a feeling we really needed one more bucket,”said Webster. "It was 2-1 and we felt we needed to a get a little momentum back.”

That's exactly what happened as Bishop’s outscored La Jolla 4-1 in the second period to take a 7-2 lead at the half. Webster scored her third goal on a 6-on-5 situation in the quarter, which also featured a goal by La Jolla’s Megan Moreland.

Webster began the third quarter with her fourth goal while teammate Clayann Olofsson-Loo added a nifty backhander as Bishop’s took a 10-3 lead into the final seven minutes.

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However, with backup goalie Lauren Silver in the lineup, La Jolla carried much of the play and scored three times on Stone, who had a dozen saves coming into the final period.

Archiacono, Christina Kirby, and Megan Moreland tallied the three successive goals.

“I think what matters the most is their heart,” said La Jolla coach Dante Laghetto. "Those girls have been playing together since sixth grade. It is pretty much a community—the water polo team here. And they really want to represent well. And they didn’t want to die, so they kept going regardless of what the score was. I really am proud of the girls.”

Bishop’s coach Doug Peabody was equally proud of his troupe.

“I think that the girls that were freshmen who watched us lose for three years that are now seniors were really hell-bent on doing what they were supposed to be doing, which was working hard every day to achieve a goal," said Peabody. “And their goal was to play the best water polo they could at the end of the year in the final game.

“When we looked up at the scoreboard and it was 10-3 they all felt like they were playing their best water polo, they were finding other teammates and playing great defense and communicating well,” said Peabody. “We also knew there would be a letdown, and there was one at the end. But when Gabby Stone made a save on a penalty shot, that took us home.

“Gabby has been phenomenal,”said Peabody. “She split the (title) game as a freshman and then played the full game last year and then the full game again this year. She saw her sister win a CIF title for us and wanted to help win one for herself, and she did.”

“We came into this game knowing that we had gone further than any other La Jolla High team,” said the Vikings' Christina Kirby. “We broke the streak of losing in the semifinals, and now I like to think this will be a new trend for La Jolla water polo. We've set the foundation for the younger girls and hopefully there will be more finals in our future.”

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