Hornets Finish Third at State

The Enumclaw High School Girls Water Polo Team took third place at the Washington State Girls Water Polo Championship on Saturday, May 19.  The Hornets lost a heartbreaker in the semi-final, losing 5-6 to Curtis, but beat Auburn Mountainview 14-6 in the final round to claim third place.  The Hornets' loss to Curtis was the Hornets only loss to a Washington team during the season.

Saturday's semi-final meeting against Curtis was a close, physical game, with neither team holding more than a one point lead throughout.  The game was tied 1-1 after the opening quarter, and 3-3 at halftime.  The Vikings held a 5-4 advantage at the end of three periods, but the Hornets tied it again just 22 seconds into the final quarter.  With the game tied 5-5 throughout the final period, the Hornets scored on a last second shot at the end of regulation, but officials ruled the shot was not taken before the final buzzer, and the game went into overtime.

Neither team scored in the first overtime period, but Viking Hannah Holly put Curtis ahead in the second overtime for the win.

In Enumclaw's final game, the Hornets faced league rival Auburn Mountainview for third and fourth place,  The Lions got off to a fast start, with center Avalon Lanz scoring four goals in the first quarter, for a 4-3 Lion lead.  Enumclaw regrouped in the second period, with goals by Katie Larrea, Bailey Sexton, and Hayley Sonneson, for a 6-5 Hornet lead at halftime.

In the second half it was all Enumclaw, with the Hornets taking an 11-6 lead after three quarters, before closing the game with a 14-6 Enumclaw win.

The Hornets finished their season with a 24-2 record.  Enumclaw's only regular season loss was at the hands of a club team from Chehalem, OR, and their only loss to a Washington State team was the semi-final loss to Curtis.


The Hornets' success is remarkable, in part, because they have done it with only nine players on their roster – seniors Annie Birklid and Hannah Kinniburgh, juniors Allie and Katie Larrea, and Bella Davenport, sophomore Megan Lesmeister, and freshmen Bailey Sexton, Hayley Sonneson, and Madi Woodall.

Water polo has six field players and a goalkeeper playing, so the Hornet squad has only two subs on their best day.  Most high school teams have 12-15 players on their roster.

The Hornets had six players named to East Division All-League Teams, and four players named to All-State Teams:

State Defensive Player of the Year – Allie Larrea
First Team All State – Katie Larrea
Second Team All State – Megan Lesmeister, Hannah Kinniburgh
Honorable Mention All State – Allie Larrea

First Team All League – Allie Larrea, Katie Larrea, Megan Lesmeister
Second Team All League – Annie Birklid, Hannah Kinniburgh
Honorable Mention All League – Bella Davenport

Hornet Coaches Bob Averill & Ken DeMan were named East Division Coach of the Year, and Washington State Coach of the Year.

Gig Harbor beat Curtis 9-7 in the Championship game.

Final State placing:

1. Gig Harbor
2. Curtis
3. Enumclaw
4. Auburn Mountainview
5. Auburn Riverside
6. Lakes
7. Emerald Ridge
8. Peninsula