On Friday, January 26, the Coronado Islander girls water polo team celebrated their 10 seniors on Senior Night and beat Westview 8-4.
Isabel Castellanos, Alexa Galbo, Harper Gilbert, Kyla Granados, Lucy Kenny, Sophie Kenny, Megan Ledgerwood, Grace Miller, Allie Ralston, and Caraline Wastila were all celebrated as they commemorated their time being an Islander.
Isabel Castellanos has been playing water polo for one year. Her favorite memory from the season so far is playing “I Love London” as a team before jumping into the pool. After graduating from CHS, Isabel plans on attending college in hopes of being a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine. She thanks her teammates and coaches for teaching her something new every day and her parents for supporting her in everything she does.
Alexa Galbo has played water polo since her sophomore year. Despite undergoing knee surgery, her passion for the sport and the strong team bond have kept her committed over the years. Although Alexa is uncertain about her ability to play when CIF comes around, she finds joy and purpose in being with her teammates for one last season. Her top schools include University of Arizona, Cal Poly SLO, and UCSB. Alexa’s favorite moment from water polo was jumping in the pool after winning the Division 1 Championship twice!
Harper Gilbert has been playing water polo for almost six years and will continue to play D1 water polo next year at UC Davis. Her favorite memories are winning Division 1 Championships two years in a row with her team!
Lucy Kenny plans on attending the University of Utah or CU Boulder. Her favorite moment of water polo was playing “I Love London” before games, hanging out with her teammates, and making a few goals. She has had an amazing season with the other seniors and will miss playing water polo with all of them!
Sophia Kenny wants to go to CU Boulder or the University of Utah. Her favorite memories of water polo are the after-game dinners, playing “I Love London” before games, team lunches, and laughing with her team. She will miss playing water polo with them, but can’t wait for what the rest of the season brings.
Megan Ledgerwood has been playing water polo for seven years. It started when she joined a club team in Coronado and the rest is history. The team dynamic and the competitive spirit it demands are two of the many reasons she has stuck with it. Megan plans on continuing both her academics and her love for water polo through the club team at either San Diego State or Cal State Long Beach. Among the many years of playing, her favorite moment is winning the Division 1 Championship her sophomore year with the class of 2022. For Megan, it was a win in the books, but also a tribute to those she looked up to both as athletes and individuals.
Grace Miller has been playing water polo for about six years and plays on the 4/5 side. Her favorite memory in water polo was winning CIF Division 1 Championship last year and everyone jumping in the pool and celebrating. Her future plans include attending a four year university somewhere in California, having a successful career, and traveling the world.
Allie Ralston has been playing water polo all four years of high school. Her favorite memory is all the rigorous practices that have shaped her into the athlete she is today. Allie hopes to attend Boise State – a choice influenced not only by academics, but also because she wants to stay close to family. Her favorite memory from water polo was winning the D1 Championship last year. It wasn’t just a win on the scoreboard, but instead symbolized the hard work and dedication she and her teammates put in throughout the season.
It seemed as if time flew by during the first period as both teams went back and forth and attempted numerous shots on goal. Although Westview had the first goal of the night, Granados and Miller each scored to end the first 2-1.
To start off the second period, Wastila hurled one into the back of the net and extended the Islander lead. Ledgerwood also scored, making it 4-1 at halftime.
The Islander defense was also hot. Ralston and Miller both had interceptions, while Gilbert was on point as usual with five saves just in the second period. Luck was also on the Islanders’ side as a considerable number of Westview’s shots deflected off the goal posts.
Wastila, Miller, Ledgerwood, and Lucy Kenny all had shots within the first four minutes of the third period. The communication and chemistry between the team members were displayed through the onslaught of shots in such a short period of time.
Westview seemed to gain their footing as they managed to score three goals in the third, but Wastila scored to keep the Islander lead 5-4. As you probably know by now, the Islanders seem to play their best in the last quarter or two of the game, and Senior Night was no exception. Not only did the girls score three times, but they also kept Westview from tallying any points at all. Ledgerwood, Granados, and Ralston all made shots to end the game 8-4.
Although the Islanders are unsure as to whether they will be placed in the Open or Division 1 bracket, they look forward to beginning CIF playoffs next week.
