Womens water polo team strives for success
The Scripps Ranch High School (SRHS) womens varsity water polo team looks to have a bounce back season now competing in the San Diego CIF Section Division 3 after winning only one game last year.
That move paid dividends right off the bat as the Lady Falcons won their first match against West Hills 11-7 in a non-league road match on Nov. 30.
“We’re definitely hoping for a better finish this year,” said head coach Brad Oestreich. “Moving down to division three, which also changed our league, gives us a lot better opportunities. We also had a lot of younger players last year, and had three graduate.”
In the following game against Mission Bay High School on Dec. 2, Scripps Ranch took it down to the wire but fell 12-10, with the match being decided in the final two minutes. Despite the loss, the result was a marked improvement from last season when Scripps Ranch was defeated by a combined scoreline of 26-7 in the two games versus Mission Bay High.
“Our hope is to finish high in league and continue to develop players while getting these girls through high school,” Oestreich said.
Juniors Olivia Dummer, Chloe Kuperstein and senior goalie Sydney Deitz will be players to watch this year as the team continues to improve during practices and home games at Ned Baumer Aquatic Center in Miramar College.
Oestreich is a father of two who played water polo and swam for Scripps Ranch High School from 1996 to 1999. He is thankful to his employer, Tandem Diabetes Care, for allowing the flexibility to continue coaching.
“My company allows me to coach. I am not a Scripps Ranch High School employee other than coaching,” he said. “They give me the opportunity to coach six months of the year.”
The Lady Falcons have eight games remaining in their schedule starting with a road game on Jan. 4 against University City, which accounted for their lone victory last season, followed by another road game on Jan. 10 versus High Tech SD as the first league game of the year. Scripps Ranch then travels to take on Ramona on Jan. 13, followed by a home league match versus Canyon Hills on Jan. 17, closing out the season with four more scheduled league games against Academy of Our Lady of Peace on Jan. 19, High Tech SD on Jan. 24, Canyon Hills on Jan. 31 and a rematch with Academy of Our Lady of Peace on Feb. 2.
