- Bellevue
- Newport
- Curtis
- Auburn Mountainview
- Roosevelt
- Rogers
- Bainbridge
- Wilson
- Puyallup
- Enumclaw
At the start of the State tournament, no one would have been surprised to see Bellevue and Newport in the final game to determine the State Champion. Both teams had proved themselves worthy during the regular season and from the very start of the tournament both teams looked to be just a bit better than the rest of the competition. Newport breezed through their bracket with wins over Emerald Ridge and Puyallup and then put on an impressive defensive display against Rogers in the quarterfinals. In the semis, those in attendance learned a couple of things. First, Auburn Mountainview is a very good team and maybe Newport wasn't unbeatable. Bellevue also breezed through bracket play with wins over Wilson and Auburn Riverview but their path to the finals would pit them against Roosevelt and Curtis. Both games proved to be competitive games but Bellevue seemed to have momentum and the ability to find consistency and finish strong in the 4th quarter. Traits of a champion include depth, balance, team defense, and the ability of leaders to step up in the big game. In the championship game, the Wolverines delivered it all. Like a champion, they found a way to limit the offensive weapons of their opponent, while exerting their own strength as the Wolverines pulled away in the second half. A championship is not just about the final game. It is a body of work that starts with an objective and a team commitment. It includes a seasons worth or more of preparation, conditioning, frustration, setbacks, adjustments, and the ability of every player to put team first over the individual. Congratulations Bellevue for winning the championship and ending the season ranked No. 1. For Newport, a great season that had everything but the sweet finish they desired. The pressure of staying unbeaten is enormous and the burden of the target on your back was heavy. Thanks for a season worth of highlights and the Committee has a strong feeling that you will be contending for the title next year. However, this season you finish No. 2. Curtis is a program that knows about what it takes yo be a champion but the road through the tournament was not an easy one. Curtis was on track with an exciting 1 point victory over Roosevelt in bracket play but eventually would meet up with Bellevue in the semifinals. In a great north vs. south showdown, Curtis fought hard but it was not to be this year. A consolation win over Auburn Mountainview earned the Vikings third in state and No. 3 in the final rankings. Anyway you look at it. Auburn Mountainview had a great season and a great tournament. An upset win over Rogers in bracket play really cleared a great path to the semis and in retrospect it doesn't seem like an upset anymore. The semifinals pitted the Lions against Newport, and Auburn Mountainview showed everyone that they belong with the elite teams in state. The Lions became one of the great stories of this years tournament and their school spirit was infectious. A loss to Curtis in the consolation game doesn't dampen their accomplishments this season. Congratulation for finishing fourth in state and moving up to the No. 4 spot in the rankings. Roosevelt provided some of the closest games of the tournament and contined to show that they have the ability to play and beat anyone. The one problem they have struggled with is closing out games in the fourth quarter. A loss to Curtis 1-point in their bracket sent the Roughriders up against Bellevue in the quarterfinals, but Bellevue was able to close out the game out in the final quarter in a game that was probably Bellevue's most competitive test of the tournament. Roosevelt did close out the final quarter against Rogers with a last minute goal to finish fifth in state and No. 5 in the final rankings. Rogers came into the tournament as one of the top seeds, but a loss to Auburn Mountainview disrupted what appeared to be a favorable path to the semis. The loss put them up against Newport in the quarterfinals and the Rams just could not get their offense going against the Knights. Rogers did defeat Puyallup for a chance to play for fifth, but a last minute goal by Roosevelt left Rogers in 6th place for the tournament and the Rams finish No. 6 in the final rankings. Well Bainbridge, what is the Committee going to do with you. You missed a heck of a tournament and yes we think you deserved to be there, but sometimes these things just happen. The Spartans had a great season but their fate in the rankings was out of their hands. After reviewing everything and much consideration, the Committee ranks Bainbridge No. 7 to finish the season. Okay Wilson, you were another one of the teams that made some noise at the tournament. The Committee was tough on you early in the season but we did note that you had the ability to make things difficult for your opponents. I guess Auburn Riverside didn't get that note, and an impressive win to start the tournament advanced Wilson to the quarterfinals. Things started out very well but the Rams were not able to sustain their strong start and eventually fell to Curtis. We'll blame fatigue for your loss to Roosevelt, but we can give you credit for your win over Puyallup to secure a seventh place finish at State and your re-entry into the rankings at No. 8. Hey Puyallup, it looks like your seeding was correct. The Vikings started the tournament with a win over Emerald Ridge but found the the rest of the way to be too difficult against the top teams. Still, a very good season and maybe the start of good things to come. Puyallup finishes the season at No. 9 in the rankings. Between Auburn Riverside and Enumclaw, the Committee faced a difficult decision for the No. 10 spot. A great season for the Ravens hit tough times during the last week of the season and the upset loss to Wilson dashed their dreams of a higher finish. Enumclaw was placed in an extremely difficult bracket and took their lumps on Thursday against Curtis and Roosevelt. Based on their match-up to close the regular season, Enumclaw is awarded the No. 10 spot to close the 2011 high school season. Congratulations to all the teams for a great season.
The intention of this blog is simply to help create more awareness of high school water polo in Washington. These rankings are unofficial and are in no way intended to diminish the accomplishments of any team. I encourage every team to celebrate their season and accomplishments in their respective divisions and state tournament. Hopefully any bias has been minimal and has been balanced by my ignorance.
CPA
ReplyDeleteCPA didn't even make it to state, so they can't be that good. Anyway, Auburn Riverside all day! We are coming back next year. Watch out.
ReplyDeleteI appreciate your even handed commentary, thanks for your efforts to enhance awareness of water polo in WA.
ReplyDeleteLet me say I think the tournament was great. Bellevue is a deserving champ....but did you at some point describe the process that determined the 12 teams that comprised the tournament? If so, I apologize that I missed it. I am curious to understand the path to the starting 12.
Thank you to the Committee for caring enough about the sport to once again maintain this blog in a positive and fun manner. Well done!
ReplyDeleteAs a Bainbridge fan--congratulations to team and their coach on a great year! While you just missed making it to state and as a result saw your ranking slip, that does not diminish the victories amassed this year, all with only 5 home games! You beat three teams ranked ahead of you in the final rankings—on the road!!
And congratulations to rival Bellevue on its well-deserved championship!
I read with interest the poll results on the combined North/South state tournament, and the related comments. And even though the North/South ratios for the state tournament had the effect of excluding Bainbridge this year, I write to strongly encourage more interleague play and continuation of the combined state tournament.
As a Washington high school water polo fan for 12 years, I have to say the return to interleague play this year was great. Highlights included:
-Auburn Tournament: well run, with gracious hosts. They even asked if we brought picnic lunches or needed directions to local restaurants.
-Wilson: history drips from the championship banners at that pool, and the shallow end goal is HUGE!
-Curtis: tradition and discipline were evident and inspiring.
-Kentridge: the only South team to come to Bainbridge, two years running. Come back next year!
If any HIgh School team plays by WIAA rules, then that team should be eligible to try to earn their way into the tournament. This will elevate the level of play. To conclude otherwise would make victory at “state” hollow and would be a step backwards. Let’s keep moving forward!
Some recognition for CPAs undefeated season would be nice. Those boys work hard too, and beat the top teams in the state tournament.
ReplyDeleteCPA is a awesome club team! It's unfair for them and it's unfair for everyone. Maybe the blog can promote the local club teams. The parents need to know that there are options after their high school season.
ReplyDeleteI agree that the blog should promote local club teams which should also expand in themselves. But I agree with the committees decision to exclude CPA from the rankings since it is unfair for high school teams who cannot play year round due to WIAA regulations. And also the funding provided to these club teams. I was a little upset this year to not see the Impact Player Recognition. Yet I still have to thank the Committee for begining to promote Water Polo in Washington State once again and it is great to see the combination of North and South Teams.
ReplyDeleteThank you for all your time!
WIAA does not sanction water polo and so there are no applicable WIAA rules to be followed. Waterpolo is a growing sport and until every school has a team, any action that limits players access is patently unfair. It should be easy enough to track which players go to what school and if there are enough for a team, then a team should be formed. Until then, players should be able to play for the nearest available team. Lets face it, any opportunity to raise the level of competition can only help our state's players compete against players from California. We should be helping each other out with the common goal of going south and kicking a**.
DeleteCori, parent of a polo player at a school with no team.
I think there should even be more games if possible and more even teams in playoffs. ( More North teams) CPA is good, and should be considering the amount of time they play polo. I agree it would not be fair for them to be in the Championship Tourney. It's too bad they don't have more competition, but hopefully the involvement in the sport will continue to grow. THANK YOU COMMITTEE
ReplyDeleteTo the person who said CPA can't be that good, they beat the state champions 23-9
ReplyDeleteI can't help but comment on the last blog. The state champions should play CPA again. I guarantee the outcome would be much closer. All of the high school teams improve so much throughout their season because they don't play together until Sept. Unlike CPA, who play together all year, the players gel as a team at the end of the season. It would be great to see more clubs like CPA.
ReplyDeleteCPA is essentially united and all those games played were scrimmages. I feel bad that they couldn't play for a high school but the rules had to be followed. Including them in the rankings and the State Tournament would be like having a 4A school included in the 1A football rankings and state playoffs.
ReplyDelete