Girls Water Polo Wins First CIF Game

By Claire Wilson

November 3, 2023

It’s the first CIF game of the girl’s water polo season. The bleachers are filled, partly with students, but mostly with vocal parents of the opposing team shouting instructions with an intensity that borders aggression. While their shouts are mildly irritating, there is a lot on the line for Monache High School. They’re ranked a whopping 15 spots below MBHS in Division 2, and losing by a landslide.

In the first three minutes of the game, after several missed shots, it looks like it’s going to be close. But after a timeout called by MBHS Coach Davis, the girls pull it together, putting away shots and making weak side passes. By the end of the first quarter, the score is 8-0. 

“It was our easiest game all year,” reports Josephine Davis, center and team captain. But the stark difference between the teams’ abilities makes for an awkward game. “I didn’t really know what to do with myself,” says Davis, laughing. “There are games where you'll be the best and they are nowhere near your level and it's hard to play in those games.” By the second quarter, MBHS is bringing in the bench, a common practice in low-risk games such as this one, as a way to get JV players involved. In the third quarter, the team goes back to their original set of girls.

At the final buzzer, Morro Bay wins 18-2. The girls emerge, victorious and dripping, from the water. “It went really well,” says Davis, who has played in nine CIF games throughout high school. CIF is a big deal for student athletes. Each successful game is one step closer to the division championship, and with enough luck and hard work, state championships. Once a team loses a game, they’re out of the running. The pressure is on, and MBHS is off to a strong start.