CIF water polo: Acalanes, Campolindo win NorCal Division I titles
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SAN JOSE – After the Acalanes girls team dominated Sacred Heart Prep 10-2 in the California Interscholastic Federation NorCal Division I title match Saturday at Independence, some fans unfurled a huge banner that read “Lady Dons Water Polo 54-0 2018 2019.”
The Dons have not lost a match since Nov. 8, 2019 – a 9-8, three-overtime thriller against Monte Vista in the North Coast Section Division I semifinals. Acalanes finished 27-0 this season and was 27-0 in a 2018 season shortened due to the Northern California fires and subsequent smoke problems. There was no CIF NorCal tournament last year.
Acalanes’ championship win Saturday was a coronation of sorts, as it laid claim to being one of the best high school girls team in Northern California history.
“As far as I know, looking back through all the brackets, I don’t think a team in Northern California has ever gone undefeated two years in a row,” Acalanes coach Misha Buchel said. “There have been teams that have won championships multiple years in a row, but I think we’re the only ones that have gone undefeated two years in a row, which just blows my mind. When I got this job 15 years ago, we won four games. It’s been a slow process of building a culture, and we are sitting on a golden generation of talent.”
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Leading this squad is undeniably one of the best players in Northern California high school history. Jewel Roemer competed for the USA Water Polo Women’s Junior National Team, which is comprised mostly of current college players, in September and scored 15 goals in the six matches.
Roemer, a senior who scored a game-high four goals Saturday, showed her superior shot-making ability on her second goal. She took a long pass from goalkeeper Ava Donleavy and in one motion twirled 180 degrees and fired a shot from long range into the upper right corner of the net.
But Roemer is also a top-notch defender and excellent passer. She blocked many apparent shots before they had a chance to reach Donleavy on Saturday.
“Maybe I’m biased, but I think she’s the best player that the area has produced since Maggie Steffens, who is only the best player in the world,” Buchel said. “She’s in rarified air. I have no doubt she’s the best player that I’ll ever have the fortune of coaching. It’s not too often that you get to coach the best player in the country.”
Roemer had tears of joy after Saturday’s victory.
“To be with this team for the past three years and to be at such a high level and be such a close team and best friends, it’s the best feeling ever,” Roemer said. “We all care for each other so much.”
Roemer scored both of the match’s first-period goals, and the top-seeded Dons built their lead to 4-0 in the second period on two goals by sophomore Heidi Heffelfinger. Sacred Heart Prep (26-4), the No. 2 seed, cut its deficit to three with a goal by Ola Szczerba, but Romer and Brooke Westphal tallied goals to give Acalanes a 6-1 lead at halftime.
That advantage widened to 9-1 before Szczerba scored her second goal with 1 minute, 22 seconds left in the third quarter. The only goal of the fourth quarter was tallied by Roemer.
Heffelfinger added three goals in the victory. Donleavy grabbed 15 saves.
Campolindo’s depth pays off
In the Division, I boys final, No. 1 seed Campolindo (20-11) was challenged by No. 6 San Ramon Valley throughout the first half. But the Cougars tallied four of the first five goals of the second half and went on to win 9-7.
“Our guys just came together the last three weeks, and as a group, we collectively got it done,” Campolindo coach Miles Price said. “There wasn’t any one guy that we had to count on, which I think is what set us apart from a lot of the other teams. We’re such a good unit.”
Campolindo held a 5-4 lead at halftime, and the Cougars’ Luke Vandenberghe and San Ramon Valley’s Wyatt Mundelius traded goals in the first part of the third period. But two goals by Brock Zamanian and one by Soren Jensen gave Campolindo a 9-5 lead with 5:10 left in the fourth quarter.
“That was a crazy way to end our season, going out on top,” said Jensen, who has signed with Stanford. “We put so much effort into this year and just capping it like that was amazing.”
Jensen led a balanced Cougars scoring effort with three goals. Ben Larsen and Zamanian added two goals apiece. Mundelius had four goals to lead all scorers.
NorCal finals results
Boys
Division I
No. 1 Campolindo def. No. 6 San Ramon Valley 9-7.
Division II
No. 1 Buchanan-Clovis def. No. 2 Jesuit-Carmichael 10-9
Division III
No. 1 St. Ignatius def. No. 3 Northgate 9-7
Girls
Division I
No. 1 Acalanes def. No. 2 Sacred Heart Prep 10-2
Division II
No. 2 Clovis def. No. 1 Soquel 10-6
Division III
No. 2 Tamalpais def. No. 1 Sonora 15-14