The Colts picked up their first win of the season on April 16, defeating University City 18-4. However, it would turn out to be the varsity water polo team’s only victory this year.
Although he hoped his team would have more success than it did, first-year coach Andrew Schonhoff was not totally surprised by the struggles his players faced.
“There was no way of getting around the fact that this would be a rebuilding year,” Schonhoff said. “The team made a tremendous amount of progress this year; it just didn’t quite translate into wins.”
Despite the team’s losing record, there was still much to feel positive about. Junior Natsu Gavin led the team offensively. He compiled 43 goals and a total of 90 points on the season.
Gavin, a co-captain, was happy with his performance and the offense he was able to provide for the team. But nonetheless, he still hopes to build on his accomplishments for next year.
“It felt good being an important part of the team, and knowing that I made an important contribution,” Gavin said. “Next year I’d like to raise the amount of goals and assists I have and be a better player overall.”
With Gavin only being a junior this season, Schonhoff emphasizes the potential his team has. Half of the team is comprised of underclassmen, and he believes that it will bode well for the program down the road.
“The future looks very bright for our program as currently 5 of the 10 varsity players are either freshmen or sophomores,” Schonhoff said. “Senior Ben McIntyre’s experience and leadership will certainly be missed, but the fact that he’s the only player graduating bids well for the continued progress of the team.”
According to Gavin, the younger players on the team came a long way as they continued to gain more experience with one another.
“We’ve improved tremendously from last season as a result of new players and a new coach. Some losses should have been wins, but we cooperated more in the water and played smarter than we did last year,” Gavin said.
Having witnessed this growth in his team, Schonhoff realizes the potential his athletes hold for later on down the road. They all have high expectations for next season and hope to make it more successful.
“My goal for the varsity team next year is to make it at least to the second round of the district tournament. This means that statistically we would need to finish at least top 16,” Schonhoff said. “The team is dedicated to raising the level that our program competes at, and I look forward to helping them achieve their goals.”
