Orange Lutheran’s girls water polo program has made swift progress since its debut season four years ago.
The Lancers have won the Trinity League title and the Santa Barbara Tournament of Champions in back-to-back years. They have risen to No. 1 in Orange County.
On Saturday night at Woollett Aquatics Center in Irvine, they’ll play in their first CIF championship match, in Division 1 no less.
“Any time that you get to play in the finals, in any division, it’s a huge accomplishment,” Orange Lutheran coach Steve Carrera said after the second-seeded Lancers defeated No. 3 San Marcos of Santa Barbara, 8-6, in a semifinal on Wednesday.
“We just want to take advantage of this moment, make sure we stay focused and go for one more game.”
Carrera built a contender quickly before. He guided the boys at then-newcomer Northwood to a runner-up finish to traditional power El Toro in Division 1 in 2006.
At Orange Lutheran, Carrera gives much of the credit for the Lancers’ success to his brother, Ed, who runs the team during in the preseason and summer.
“He’s a great developer of talent and focuses on the fundamentals,” said Carrera, who also coaches the boys water polo team at Orange Lutheran.
Carrera also counts parent support as a key ingredient.
“I have a parent group that supports me through good and bad,” he said. “They trust my judgment and know I want what is best for their kids.”
Orange Lutheran also is talented. Strong-armed senior attacker Emma Skelly signed with UCLA, and utility Kelsey Tyler picked USC.
Tyler transferred from Santiago of Corona before her sophomore season, and her sister, Alyse, followed this season.
Sisters Myna and Mollie Simmons are also major contributors, as are freshmen Brooke Hourigan, Hannah Palmer and goalie Alyssa Barnuevo.
After the semifinals, the Lancers’ celebration seemed noticeably tempered.
“We’re obviously ecstatic, but we’ve been talking about being in the moment,” Carrera said. “We have a goal and we’re one stepper closer. We just want to stay focused on that.”
KEEPING IT SIMPLE
Veteran Foothill coach Jim Brumm said he only asked a few things of his players when he took over as the Knights coach mid-season two years ago.
“It was, basically, play hard every day in practice. Play hard every day in games,” said Brumm, who has guided Foothill’s boys to four CIF-SS titles. “Come together as a team and as a family. Play with a lot of confidence and have fun. Ever since that, we’ve done that.
“We’ve been playing like that. As long as we play like that, I don’t care what the score is, we’re going to be good.”
FAMILY AFFAIR
Coach Mike Cardey guides Riverside Poly into today’s Division 4 final against top-seeded and defending champion Royal of Simi Valley.
His daughter, Jessy, is an assistant with the Foothill girls and a former UC Irvine player. His son, Christian, is the coach of top-seeded Hillcrest of Riverside, which plays defending champion Foothill Technology of Ventura in the Division 7 final.
Contact the writer: dalbano@ocregister.com
