The girls’ varsity water polo team won the state championship on April 26, beating Seminole High School 8-5. This is the team’s first state championship win since 2013.

For a group of dedicated seniors who had come close in past years, this win meant everything. After heartbreaking near misses in recent seasons, including a state semifinal loss last year, the 2025 team came back stronger, more experienced, and more united than ever.

“Winning the state championship was something my teammates and I wanted very badly; some of us had been wanting it ever since we started playing in middle school,” senior captain Julia Fogel said, “We faced many challenges along the way, but our commitment to each other and our goal has brought us to this moment.’’

The championship game was far from easy. Down 4-1 late in the second quarter, the Raiders were forced to reset. A crucial goal from sophomore Isabella Ten Have just before halftime gave the team momentum, and her early third-quarter goal tied the game at 4-4. From there, the game turned.

Freshman Emma Preston scored to give the Raiders the lead with under four minutes left in the fourth quarter, with senior Kathleen Serig following, adding another goal to extend the advantage. Ten Have then sealed the win with her third goal of the game into an empty net, after Seminole had pulled their goalie with 35 seconds remaining for a 7-girl ride.

“We just stayed focused, and at the end it came down to a mental game, and we were mentally stronger,” senior Kathleen Serig said.

Defensively, freshman goalie Sofia Beltran had a standout performance. After allowing four goals in the first half, she locked in and made several saves, including one with under two minutes to go that stopped a potential Seminole comeback. Beltran credited team communication to their overall performance.

“We learned to communicate better and trust each other in the water,” Beltran said. “During each game, we learned a new lesson which helped us be prepared for the state finals,” Beltran said.

The Raiders finished the season with an impressive 27-1 record. Their only loss came against Seminole earlier in the season, making this victory a true redemption.

“Seeing our dream come true was truly unforgettable; it was definitely my favorite experience from my high school career, and beating Seminole made it even better,” senior Mariana Bernal said.