There is a new dynasty in City Section girls water polo and it may continue for years to come.
Joliette St. Hubert scored eight goals and Alejandra Barragan added six as top-seeded Birmingham dominated West Valley League rival Granada Hills 18-9 Wednesday night at Valley College to prove itself as the City’s premier team for a second straight year and the third time in four years.
“The girls love the sport and they committed to playing in the offseason on the same club team, “ said head coach Vincent Kezman, who won his fifth title with the girls since taking over the program in the 2014-15 season. “They wanted to be back here this year.”
Birmingham led only 2-1 heading to the second quarter before the Patriots (22-8) broke it open with five consecutive goals and added another five in a row to begin the second half to take a commanding 15-4 lead into the fourth quarter.
“We knew what to expect playing them and between the first and second quarters coach told us to work on our transition,” said Barragan, one of 14 underclassmen on the varsity roster. “Winning [City] as a freshman was a little nerve-wracking but it’s fun to do it again.”
Alexandra Bierman scored five goals for the second-seeded Highlanders (10-5), who were chasing their second straight section title after beating Cleveland in the Division I final last season.
Having squared off against Palisades in the previous six finals (each team winning three), Birmingham faced another familiar opponent this time. The Patriots had won both league meetings with Granada Hills, but the second on Jan. 30 was decided by one goal.
“It hurts more to lose to a team in your league,” Kezman said. “We didn’t underestimate them. The last game was very close because we got in foul trouble and we weren’t going to let that happen again.”
Since the sport was reinstated in 2009, Eagle Rock has won seven City titles (including six in seven years from 2012-18). Birmingham has six (the last two in the Open Division), Palisades owns three and Cleveland has won two.
“Hard to say if I’d rather play a team outside of our league in the finals… it’s 50-50,” said St. Hubert, a sophomore who was proud of her sister, freshman goalie Eli, who made 10 saves. “I think we did pretty good. Our strategy was to double-team No. 7 and make other players shoot.”
In the preceding Division I final, Tatum Mahi tallied five goals, including the winner on a five-meter shot with 40 seconds left, to propel San Pedro past Palisades, 8-7. The teams had split their two Western/Marine League meetings.
“She takes all the five meters and I trust her with every play,” San Pedro coach Stephanie Cuevas said of Mahi, who had two other shots bang off the crossbar.
Camilia Chavez scored three times while goalie Kalia Razevich made 15 saves for the Pirates (12-3), who lost to Palisades by 10 goals in the Open Division semifinals last year.
Bailey Gair and Jordan Detwiler scored three goals apiece for the Dolphins (12-16), who were making their ninth consecutive finals appearance and 12th since 2013.
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