Boys’ and Girls’ water polo successfully defend MCAL titles

Natalie Agnew, Sports Editor|November 11, 2019

The Drake’s water polo teams’ championship-winning streaks continued on Saturday, Nov. 2 in Novato. Both teams defeated Tam in their MCAL (Marin County Athletic League) finals, securing the automatic bid into the North Coast Section (NCS) tournament.

The afternoon began with the boys facing off against Tamalpais High School. After losing to Tam in overtime the previous week and the extended power shut off, the stage was set for the Pirates’ toughest test yet.

The game was close heading into the fourth quarter with Drake leading 9-7 and Tam gaining momentum after scoring the last three goals. But Drake finished strong, winning 11-8 and their fifth straight MCAL title.

That same day at 3:30 pm, the Drake girls looked to continue their string of victories with a win against Tam.

The Tam Hawks came out kicking and got off to a 2-1 lead against a Drake team that has rarely had to come from behind. But with a strong performance from senior goalie Liyara Senadheera leading the Drake defense, the Pirates pulled off a 7-5 victory.

“I thought our team played really well together. We knew Tam wanted this MCAL title really badly, and we just knew we wanted it more. The girls on our team worked hard, and after the power outage, we didn’t have any time for practice and just had two games before this final one. But that didn’t matter since we trusted ourselves and our teammates,” said Senadheera.

This, along with six unanswered goals from Drake, lead by junior Siena Berry with two goals, helped Drake successfully defend their MCAL title.

“It was a great team win, and this win is just the beginning as we are now are the first seed in our NCS division, and I believe if we continue to play like we did during Tam and continue to grow, this NCS title could be in our hands!” said Senadheera.

Both teams continue their season with the NCS Tournament in the coming weeks. The boys’ team is seeded fifth and will face San Ramon Valley on Thursday, Nov. 7, in the first round. The girls are seeded first and have a bye in the first round. Their opponent is still to be determined, and they will play in the second round on Saturday, Nov. 9.