The Spartan Girls Water Polo Team is building anew after the graduation of four starters last season. The future looks bright with 12 returners and 6 incoming freshmen. Varsity Team Captains/Seniors Emma Jackson and Lily Askounis are joined by senior Lindsay Wong, returning for her second year. Juniors Avery Garcia, Hana Riley, and Sarah Beth Roady round out the upperclassmen on the team. Sophomores Elizabeth Conner, Emmie Hanvey, and Molly Kate Minyard are on the Varsity roster, while sophomores LC Nall, Lilli Oteiza, and Bella Smith, along with freshman Jill Hyland will see some Varsity playing time and lead the JV team freshmen Louisa Arrreola, Audrey Bown, Piper Barrow, Abby Middlebrooks, and Emily Pace.

This past weekend’s 2nd Annual CFISD Varsity Water Polo Tournament gave the girls three games on Thursday and a final game on Saturday to begin developing a team rhythm and working their strategies.

vs. Jersey Village

Game 1 v. Jersey Village saw goals scored by Jackson (3) and Askounis (6) and generous team play with assists from Jackson and Minyard, winning swim-offs to get the ball in our possession by Molly Kate, and solid defense by Conner and Roady. Trading off in the goal box: Smith and Hanvey. Final: Stratford 9,  Jersey Village 11.

vs. Memorial Tomball

Game 2 against Memorial Tomball was another close one with goals traded back and forth. Jackson owned the scoring up to the final period; the Spartans down 3-5 in the fourth, it was the sophomores who stepped up with a Jackson-to-Minyard goal, and then two in a row for Conner with a powerful drive to the goal followed by a 7-meter rocket. Additional assists and hustle came from Avery Garcia, Askounis, and LC Nall. Sophomore goalie Emmie Hanvey was a powerhouse in the cage. The Wildcats squeaked by with a 6-7 win.

vs. College Park

Redemption came in the third game of the day against the College Park Cavaliers. Goalie Hanvey contributed more than 14 saves in the game and teamwork was all over the pool with Minyard winning swim-offs to start on offense, and brilliant assists: Minyard to Askounis, Askounis to Jackson, Jackson to Askounis. Junior Sarah Beth Roady powered in a nice outside shot end of the first half, and in the second half Avery Garcia dropped in a nice one; Askounis totaled up more goals with assists from Garcia and another from Hana Riley. The Spartans took the W against the Cavaliers 9-7.

vs. Clear Springs

The girls’ final game of the tourney was Saturday against Clear Springs of League City. They started out strong with Minyard to Jackson for the first score, and then sophomore Elizabeth Conner drove to the goal for a 2-2 tie after one. Strong defense came from Garcia, Askounis, Nall, and  Roady, but the Chargers started to pull away 3-6 at the half. LC Nall passed to Conner,  and brought the score to 4-10 at the end of the third. In the fourth, freshman Jill Hyland made her Varsity debut (after scoring two goals in a JV game earlier in the week), and Captain Emma Jackson charged down the pool for the final goal for the Spartans. It was Clear Springs with the win 5 – 11.

The season is only just starting and it’s clear these Spartans will have a great year under first-year Head Coach Joseph McCommons and returning assistant coaches Casandra Brisbin and Blocker Duncan.

Up next: The Gessner Invite. The girls will play multiple games Thursday, Aug 17 (5:20 pm/7:00 pm) and Saturday, Aug 19 (10:40 am/12:20 pm) at the Strake Jesuit outdoor pool.