Hornets Finish 3rd in Region 1, Advance to State

The Enumclaw High School Girls Water Polo Team qualified for the 2018 State Championship Tournament with a third place finish at last weekend’s Region 1 Championship at Curtis High School, in University Place, WA.

The Hornets finished the tournament with a 3-1 record, beating Peninsula 6-4 on Friday before falling to four-time defending State Champion Gig Harbor in a late Friday night game, 21-6.

On Saturday Enumclaw clinched a State Tournament berth with their 9-4 win over Auburn at 12:30, and earned the Region 1 #3 seed at 5:00 with an 8-1 win over Bainbridge Island.

Enumclaw opens State Tournament play on Thursday with a 3:30 game against Bellevue. All State Tournament games will be held at Curtis High School, in University Place. The Championship Game will take place on Saturday, May 26, at 7:00 p.m.

Short-Handed Hornets Rally to Force OT

The Enumclaw High School Girls Water Polo Team lost a hard-fought game to Auburn Mountainview, 13-11 in overtime, on Thursday, April 5 at the Enumclaw Aquatic Center.

The game was close throughout, tied 2-2 after one period, with a 6-5 Lion lead at halftime. The Hornets outscored the visitors in the third quarter to take a 7-6 lead into the fourth quarter.

The small Hornet squad became even smaller, as three starters fouled out late in the game, leaving the Hornets one woman short and trailing 9-8 with 1:25 left in the game. Short-handed, the Hornets scored with 16 seconds left in regulation for a 9-9 tie, and the Lions reclaimed the lead with four seconds remaining. After a Hornet time-out, Enumclaw's Grace Rich tied the game again at 10-10 with one second left, to force the game into overtime.

Overtime proved to be too much for the Hornets, with Auburn Mountainview outscoring Enumclaw 3-1 in overtime, to claim the win.

Senior Grace Rich scored five for Enumclaw; Lindsay Harms scored three, Grace Munnell added two, and Jessica Lee scored one. The Hornets' Monster Goalkeeper Morgan Hall grabbed 21 saves.

For Auburn Mountainview, Amelia Portin scored eight, Autumn Hildebrand scored three, and Emily Dakan and Mairead Quigley each ascored one.

The win gives Auburn Mountainview the lead for the East Division title. Enumclaw is 3-2 in league play, 4-4 overall.

Emerald Ridge Jamboree Schedule

The Enumclaw High School Girls Water Polo Team opens their season this year on March 10th at the Emerald Ridge Jamboree, at Rogers High School, in Puyallup, WA.

Eightteams will join the Hornets at the season opening jamboree, including: Auburn Mountainview, Auburn Riverside, Emerald Ridge, Lakes, Puyallup, Rogers, Roosevelt, and South Kitsap.

The Hornets will play three half-games of two 10-minute running quarters, against Emerald Ridge at 12:30, Lakes at 2:00, and Auburn Mountainview at 3:30.

Hornets Schedule is Set

The Enumclaw High School Girls Water Polo Team has released their schedule for the 2018 season. The Hornets are poised to defend their 2017 East Division title and advance to their 13th straight year of post-season play.

Enumclaw plays in the State's East Division, with league games against Auburn, Auburn Mountainview, Kentridge, and Tahoma. The Hornets have also lined up a schedule of tough, non-league games, traveling to Gig Harbor and Mercer Island, and hosting non-league games against Wilson, Lakes, Stadium, and South Kitsap. The Hornets will also travel to two tournaments late in the season - the annual Emerald Ridge Tournament at Rogers High School on April 27th & 28th, and at Auburn High School on at 4th & 5th.

The top four teams in each division advance to Regional Tournaments on May 18th and 19th. The top four finishers at each of the two Regional Tournaments advance to the State Tournament, held May 24-26 at Curtis High School, in University Place, WA.

Girls Water Polo Season Starts Feburary 26

Girls Water Polo Season starts in Washington State on Monday, February 26. High school teams throughout the State can begin practice on the 26th, and competition will start on Saturday, March 10th with a jamboree at Rogers High School in Puyallup.

The Hornets open league play on Tuesday, March 13 against Kentridge, at Lindbergh High School in Renton.

All teams hope to advance to the post-season. This years Regional Tournaments will be held at Puyallup's Rogers High School, and Curtis High School in University Place, on May 18th and 19th. The top four teams from each Regional Tournament will advance to the State Tournament, held May 24-26 at Curtis High School.

Follow this web site and our Twitter feed @EnumclawPolo for results and standings throughout the season. Best of Luck to all the teams!

Genai Kerr Brings Clinics to Auburn, Lakes

USA Water Polo Olympian Genai Kerr returns to South Puget Sound this March to offer two Nike 5meter Water Polo Spring Clinics this coming March at Auburn High School in Auburn, and Lakes High School in Lakewood.

 

Both clinics offer a great opportunity to learn from one of water polo's finest, improve your game, and meet other players from around the area.

 

The Lakewood clinic takes place on Saturday, March 3 from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. https://5meter.com/products/lakewood-washington-water-polo-camp The Auburn clinic is on Sunday, March 4, and will also run from 9:00 to 4:00. https://5meter.com/products/seattle-washington-water-polo-camp

 

5meter Water Polo Camps and Clinics provide the highest level of individualized coaching for aspiring water polo athletes. Whether you are learning the rules of water polo and how to eggbeater or preparing for college level competition, this is the water polo camp for you. Upon arrival at camp, campers are placed in groups with other players having similar abilities and goals. Camp staff will do their best to accommodate your needs, keeping in consideration your experience and desire to improve.

Feel free to contact the Enumclaw coaches if you have any questions, at enumclawpolo@gmail.com

Yes, Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus

The following editorial, one of the most popular editorials of all time, appeared in The New York Sun in 1897. Eight-year-old Virginia O’Hanlon had begun to doubt there was a Santa Claus. Her father, Dr. Philip O’Hanlon, suggested she write to the New York Sun, assuring her, “If you see it in The Sun, it's so."

IS THERE A SANTA CLAUS?

We take pleasure in answering at once and thus prominently the communication below, expressing at the same time our great gratification that its faithful author is numbered among the friends of The Sun:

Dear Editor! I am 8 years old.

Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus.

Papa says, ''If you see it in The Sun it's so.'' Please tell me the truth: Is there a Santa Claus?

Virginia O'Hanlon.
115 West Ninety-Fifth Street.

Virginia, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Virginia,  whether they be men's or children's, are little. In this great universe of ours man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect, as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge.

Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus. It would be as dreary as if there were no Virginias.

There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The eternal life with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished.

Not believe in Santa Claus! You might as well not believe in fairies! You might get your papa to hire men to watch in all the chimneys on Christmas Eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if they did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove? Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that's no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world.

You may tear apart the baby's rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived, could tear apart. Only faith, fancy, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernatural beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, Virginia, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding.

No Santa Claus! Thank God! he lives, and he lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay, ten times ten thousand years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.

Hornets 2-0 in League Play After Week 1

photo courtesy Tracy Arnold

The Enumclaw High School Boys Water Polo Team finished their first week of the regular season with a 2-0 record in league play, and a 4-2 overall record.

The Hornets opened their regular season, and league play, on Tuesday, with an 18-5 win over Auburn at the Enumclaw Aquatic Center, and notched their second league win on Thursday against Kentwood, 23-13, in front of a raucous Hornet crowd at the home pool.

Enumclaw went on the road over the weekend, for some non-league competition at the Auburn Water Polo Tournament on Friday and Saturday. The Hornets opened the tournament with an 11-5 win over Lakes in their first game on Friday, then suffered a 21-1 loss against Sammamish later that evening. On Saturday the Hornets started slow against Shorewood, but rallied in the second half, and fought to a narrow 9-7 loss. In Saturday’s second game, Enumclaw battled to a slim 8-7 win over South Kitsap to finish 2-2 in the tournament.

The Hornets return to league play, at the Auburn Pool, on Tuesday, facing league rival Auburn Mountainview at 7:30, and host Kentridge on Thursday at 7:30.

Tuesday, September 12 – Enumclaw 18, Auburn
Scoring for Enumclaw:
Ben Hauswirth – 6
Kyle Morgan – 5
Brandon Stark – 4
Ethan Decker – 2
Jacob Hauswirth – 1

Scoring for Auburn:
Daulton Whitehall-Gilkes -5

 

Thursday, September 14 – Enumclaw 23, Kentwood 13
Scoring for Enumclaw:
Kyle Morgan – 9
Ben Hauswirth – 6
Adam Percival – 4
Ethan Decker – 2
Cody Williams – 2

Scoring for Kentwood:

Jan Grobbelaar – 6
Josh Maloy – 2
Alex Maloy – 2
Dallas George – 1
Mike Shinas -1
Lucas Montry – 1

Friday, September 15 –Enumclaw 11, Lakes 5
Scoring for Enumclaw:
Ben Hauswirth – 5
Kyle Morgan – 2
Ethan Decker – 2
Cody Williams – 1
Tim Arensdorf – 1

Friday, September 15 –Sammamish 21, Enumclaw 1

Scoring for Enumclaw:
Ben Hauswirth – 1

Saturday, September 16 –Shorewood 9, Enumclaw 7
Scoring for Enumclaw:
Kyle Morgan – 3
Ben Hauswirth – 2
Adam Percival – 1                 
Ethan Decker – 1

Saturday, September 16 – Enumclaw 8, South Kitsap 7

Scoring for Enumclaw:
Ben Hauswirth – 5
Kyle Morgan – 2
Ethan Decker - 1

Hornets Open With Two Wins at Jamboree

The Enumclaw High School Boys Water Polo Team opened their 2017 season with two wins and a loss at last weekend's Emerald Ridge Jamboree. The Hornets beat Lakes 14-3 in their opening game, and lost to Gig Harbor 6-9 in the second, before finishing the day with a 14-1 win over Rogers.

This year’s Hornet squad boasts nine returning players, led by senior captains Kyle Morgan and Adam Percival. The remaining seven returning players are all juniors: Tim Arensdorf, Ethan Decker, Ben Hauswirth, Miles Kratzer, Christopher Morgan, Brandon Stark, and Cody Williams.

Joining the veteran Hornets are four first-year players, including sophomore Ethan Blanco, and freshmen Michael Arensdorf, Jacob Hauswirth, and Kellen Murray.

Head coach Bob Averill returns for his ninth season with the boys program, and is joined by assistant Annie Birklid (EHS ’12), coaching her fourth year with the Hornets. Averill has also coached the Enumclaw High School Girls Water Polo Team for 13 years.

2017 Boys Water Polo Calendar

Summer Water Polo at Enumclaw Pool

The Enumclaw Aquatic Center and Enumclaw High School will offer Open Pool water polo workouts from 8:00-9:30. The workouts are open to all middle and high school boys and girls who are interested in learning and practicing water polo skills. No experience necessary. Workouts are supervised by EHS coaches, and led by veteran high school players.

 

For more information, contact coach Bob Averill.

 

 

Hornets Celebrate with Awards Banquet

The Enumclaw High School Girls Water Polo Team held their 2017 Post-Season Awards Banquet on Thursday, June 1 at the EHS Library.

The Hornets celebrated their seventh place finish at the State Tournament, and their 12th straight year advancing to State. The Hornets claimed the East Division Title for the third consecutive season with an 8-2 league record, and finished the season with a 21-10 overall record.

The Hornets celebrated several individual honors, as well. Six Hornets earned All-League honors. Morgan Hall, Grace Munnell, and Emilie Weyer were named to the first team All-League Team. Grace Rich and Lindsay Harms earned second team honors, and Jordan Lawson received Honorable Mention. Goalkeeper Morgan Hall also received Honorable Mention All-State recognition.

The team voted for several other awards that were recognized at the banquet. Grave Munnell was named Hornet Offensive MVP, and Morgan Hall earned Defensive MVP. Jessica Johnson received the Most Improved Player Award, Lindsay Harms was named Most Inspirational Player, and Jordan Lawson earned the 110% Award. Emilie Weyer earned the 2017 Coaches' Award.

The Hornets 2017 Post-Season Banquet Video is online on YouTube, with the link below.

Thanks for a great season, ladies!

Hornets Finish With A Win, Seventh Place

The Enumclaw High School Girls Water Polo Team wrapped up their 2017 with a 7-5 win over Wilson in the Hornets' last game at the State Tournament on Saturday, May 27. The Hornets finished seventh in State for the second year in a row.

Enumclaw scored first in Saturday's game, and held a 4-1 lead at halftime, but Wilson outscored the Hornets in the third period, narrowing Enumclaw's lead to 4-3. Hornet senior Jordan Lawson scored with 1:12 in the quarter to give Enumclaw a 5-3 lead entering the final frame.

The already physical game heated up in the final quarter, as the Rams drew four exclusions on Hornet defenders. Wilson scored on Enumclaw's second exclusion to narrow Enumclaw's lead to one goal with 4:39 remaining. Both teams missed on their next two opportunities, and junior captain Grace Munnell added to the Hornet lead with two minutes left.

Wilson scored on their next possession, to put he Rams within one 20 seconds later, and Munnell put the game away on a Hornet power play with 33 seconds left.

Grace Munnell scored five goals in the win, and Grace Rich and Jordan Lawson scored one goal each. Goalkeeper Morgan Hall grabbed 10 saves.

The Hornets finished their season with an 8-2 league record, claiming the East Division title for the third straight year, and a regular season record of 18-6. Enumclaw went 2-2 at the Region I Tournament to earn the 4th seed from the region, and lost their first two games as the State Tournament before beating Wilson for seventh place. Hornet goalkeeper Morgan Hall earned Honorable Mention All-State honors.

The Gig Harbor Tides earned their fourth consecutive State title with a 7-5 win over Curtis in the Championship Game.

Final State Standings:

1. Gig Harbor

2. Curtis

3. Bellevue

4. Newport

5. Mercer Island

6. Puyallup

7. Enumclaw

8. Wilson

Washington State Tournament Lineup Set

Eight teams, including Enumclaw, have qualified for this weekend's Girls Water Polo Washington State Championship Tournament. Bellevue, Mercer Island, Newport, Enumclaw, Gig Harbor, Curtis, Puyallup, and Wilson will compete for the 2017 State title at Curtis High School on May 25-27.

Six Hornets Earn All-League Honors

Six members of the Enumclaw High School Girls Water Polo Team earned all league honors at Monday's Water Polo Coaches Meeting. Morgan Hall, Grace Munnell, and Emilie Weyer were named All-League East Division First Team. Lindsay Harms and Grace Rich earned Second Team honors, and Jordan Lawson received Honorable Mention.

Listed below are the All-League teams for the four Washington State divisions. Congratulations to all.

Post-Season Action Starts Friday

photo courtesy Timothy Dehnert Photography

The Enumclaw High School Girls Water Polo Team, along with 15 other Washington State girls water polo teams, start post-season play on Friday, May 19.

Bellevue, Mercer Island, Newport, and Inglemoor have advanced from the North Division; Enumclaw, Auburn Mountainview, Auburn, and Kentridge advance from the East.

In the South Division, Curtis, Puyallup, Rogers, and Stadium advance to the post-season, and Gig Harbor, Bainbridge Island, Wilson, and Peninsula have advanced from the West.

The Hornets are advancing to post-season play for the twelfth consecutive season, and claimed their third straight East Division title.

Enumclaw enters the Region I Tournament as the East's number one seed, and will face the North Division's fourth seed, Inglemoor, on Friday, at 6:45, at Puyallup's Rogers High School. The Region II Tournament starts on Friday, as well, and pits the top four teams from the South and West Divisions against each other. The top four teams from each Regional Tournament will advance to the State Championship Tournament, held May 25-27 at Curtis High School, in University Place.

The Hornets have one more regular season game left - a non-league contest against Tahoma on Tuesday, May 16 at the Enumclaw Aquatic Center. Come cheer on the Hornets as they celebrate their three seniors' in their last home game.

Follow this site and our Twitter feed, @EnumclawPolo for post-season results, and updated schedules.

Best of luck to all the teams competing.

Hornets Clinch East Division Title

With two league wins this week - a 5-4 win over Auburn on Tuesday, and a 9-4 win over Auburn Mountainview on Thursday - the Enumclaw High School Girls Water Polo Team clinched their third consecutive East Division Title.

Tuesday's game vs, Auburn was a defensive nailbiter, with both teams scoreless in the first period, and trading goals in the second and third, to enter the final period with a 2-2 tie.

Auburn took the lead with 2:45 left, on a Maddy Arnone goal, and Grace Rich scored for the Hornets for a 3-3 tie with 1:18 remaining. Emilie Weyer's goal gave the Hornets the lead with 43 seconds remaining, but Elizabeth Zaytseva tied it up again with 18 seconds left. After the Hornets' final timeout, Weyer scored again with 11 seconds left, for a 5-4 Hornet advantage, and Enumclaw stopped the Trojans on their last possession to seal the victory.

Thursday's game vs. Auburn Mountainview started much the same, with the teams trading goals through the first period, and a 3-3 tie after seven minutes of play. But the Hornets caught fire in the second quarter, scoring four and holding the Lions scoreless, for a 7-3 halftime lead.

Both teams went scoreless in the third, and Enumclaw outscored Auburn Mountainview 2-1 in the final quarter for the 9-4 final score.

The Hornets are now 8-1 in league play, and 13-4 overall. Enumclaw travels to Auburn for a four-game tournament on Friday and Saturday, and travel to Renton’s  Lindbergh High School on Tuesday for their final league game of the season against Kentridge.

Hornets Return from Break, Beat Tahoma

photo courtesy Doug & Mel Hall

Enumclaw High School's Girls Water Polo Team returned from their Spring Break to beat the Tahoma Bears 12-1 on Wednesday, April 26, after a 13 day break from competition.

It took the Hornets a few possessions to regain their rhythm in the game, but after Lindsay Harms scored three minutes into the game, Enumclaw scored six goals in the opening quarter, with Harms and Grace Munnell each scoring three.

The Hornets held Tahoma scoreless through the first half, but the Bears' Aureliana Weinstein scored midway through the third quarter to break up the Hornet shutout.

Four Hornets scored in the win, with Munnell and Harms scoring four each. Grace Rich scored three from center, and senior captain Emilie Weyer scored a goal from point. The Hornets finished with 15 steals, led by Munnell's eight; junior goalkeeper Morgan Hall grabbed nine saves.

The Hornets host the defending State Champion Gig Harbor Tides on Saturday, and return to league play next week, at Auburn on Tuesday, and hosting Auburn Mountainview Thursday. The three teams - Enumclaw, Auburn, and Auburn Mountainview - are currently tied for the East Division lead with identical 6-1 league records.

Hornets Enter Third Week with 6 Wins, 2 Losses

The Enumclaw High School Girls Water Polo Team entered their second week of competition with a 2-0 record, played six games in four days, and finished the week with a 6-2 record, 3-1 in league play.

The Hornets suffered their first loss of the young season on Tuesday, when the Auburn Trojans came to Enumclaw to hand the Hornets a 9-4 loss.

On Thursday, the Hornets traveled to Auburn and claimed an 11-4 win over Auburn Mountainview, to improve their league record to 3-1.

Enumclaw played four games in the two-day Emerald Ridge Tournament on Friday and Saturday, at Rogers High School. The Hornets won both of Friday's games, beating Stadium 10-3, and Wilson 8-1.

The Hornets split on Saturday, beating Auburn 2-1 in a fierce defensive battle, before losing to a deep Puyallup team 7-3 to finish the week.

The Hornets return to league play this week, with a home game on Tuesday, against Kentridge, and Thursday against Auburn Riverside. Both games are scheduled to start at 7:30.

Emerald Ridge Tournament This Weekend

Ten teams will wrap up their second week of the girls water polo season this week at the annual Emerald Ridge Tournament, at Rogers High School in Puyallup.

Auburn, Auburn Mountainview, Emerald Ridge, Inglemoor, Puyallup, Rogers, South Kitsap, Stadium, and Wilson will join the Hornets in non-league play at the two-day tournament. All teams will play two games each day.

Enumclaw will play Stadium at 6:10, and Wilson at 8:50 on Friday, and return on Saturday to face Auburn at noon, and Puyallup at 3:45.

Best of Luck to all teams participating.