Girls volleyball was in action in the warm South Gym, while the water polo teams were at the new, but outdoor, Aquatics Center.
With my umbrella in tow, I decided to watch and photograph the Varsity Girls' Water Polo team as they took on Whitney High School. The constant downpour had little effect on fans.
The new Aquatics Center features a long set of covered bleachers stretching the length of the pool. For players in the warm pool, rain and cold are not major issues. But for those who come out and sit on the bench, soaking wet, it can get chilly. Trying to keep my camera dry while taking photos was a challenge. I used the shelter of the covered bleachers to stay mostly dry, even though I didn't have a great vantage point.
The Blue Devil fall-sports teams are experiencing varied results in their second SFL season. The volleyball, golf and flag football teams are positioned near the bottom of their league standings. In contrast, the boys water polo team, and both boys and girls cross country are performing strongly, holding second place in their respective leagues.
Girls tennis is ranked third out of eight SFL teams. Girls water polo stands out as the dominant team this season, maintaining an undefeated 8-0 record, first in the league and ranked No. 1 in the section.
Returning to Monday night's action, girls polo demonstrated its dominance in a match against Whitney, which is ranked sixth in the section. The game was a blowout from start to finish. The Blue Devils went up 5-0 in the first period and never looked back. They would win easily, 14-2.
I asked coach Jamey Wright about coaching in blowout games. He was quick to say, "We are not good enough to take any team for granted. Whitney is a solid team. We played well in the first and third periods, but we need to work on staying focused and crisp throughout all four periods."
The Blue Devils have faced some adversity recently, losing their leading scorer, Aiva Mann, to a knee injury. “With Aiva out, it is not about one person stepping up,” junior standout Addison Sinclair said. “The whole team needs to level up. With young players stepping in, communication and support are more important than ever. We have great coaching and depth to help when a top player is out.”
The Blue Devils also have the luxury of one of the best goalies in the state. Hazel Beatty, a junior, was the SFL most valuable player last season. When you watch her in the pool, it is hard to believe she is not pushing off the pool bottom. She treads water, then mysteriously raises her 6-foot frame and long wingspan out of the water (“Stranger Things” fans, think Shadow Monster) and swats away any attempted shot. She anchors the stout Blue Devil defense.
Beatty, when asked about the match, said, "We played really well. Our outside defense was strong, which really helped. We are still working on better communication, but it was a strong effort. The rain and steam rising from the pool made the challenge even harder tonight. There were times when I could see the ball for a few seconds."
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