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Girls’ Water Polo Preview: Crescenta Valley looks to continue league mastery

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Rebuilding hasn’t been an option for the Crescenta Valley High girls’ water polo team throughout much of the program’s 20-year history.

Expectations remain high for the Falcons, who have won eight straight Pacific League championships.

Crescenta Valley coach Ricky Mulcahey isn’t taking anything for granted, knowing there are plenty of challengers looking to end the Falcons’ run.

“I think all of the teams in our league are improving and I like that,” said Mulcahey, whose team finished 23-6, 8-0 in league and advanced to the first round of the CIF Southern Section Division II playoffs last season. “I really think any of the teams are capable of surprising, so we know we’re going to have to be set to go.

“We’ve set some goals already, ranging from winning league to going the distance in CIF. We have a lot of key players back, so we’ll see what we can do.”

Crescenta Valley, which is in CIF Southern Section Division III this season, will bring back most of its core. That includes junior utility Alex Garas, who tallied 121 goals, 85 steals and 59 assists last season en route to being tabbed the All-Area Girls’ Water Polo Player of the Year. Garas was named the league co-player of the year and was bestowed with All-CIF first-team recognition, as well.

“She’s the facilitator for our team,”said Mulcahey, whose squad fell in the first round of the Division II playoffs last year to Martin Luther King. “She gets her teammates involved, while also marking the other team’s top player. Alex can play any role.”

Garas will be joined by senior utility Kaitlyn Moguel, junior Roxy Jackson-Gaim and sophomore Hanna Ziccardi. Moguel and Ziccardi are reigning All-Area picks.

After enjoying a historic run, which included winning the program’s first postseason match, Flintridge Sacred Heart will begin a new era. Carlos Ponce stepped down and turned the program over to assistant Savannah Simmons, a former Burroughs standout.

The Tologs defeated San Dimas in a Division V wild-card match before falling to Santa Ana Valley in the first round. Flintridge Sacred Heart will remain in Division V.

“We have about four or five players returning who have at least one year of experience,” Simmons said. “We saw what we were capable of doing last year and there’s a good deal of potential back.

“I learned a lot from Carlos the last few years, like how to be patient and taking time to break things down.”

The Tologs will turn to senior utility Zoe Drabenko, a reigning All-Area honoree who collected a team-leading 84 goals last season, junior utility Amanda Ramirez, sophomore utility Bree Layseca and freshman goalkeeper Ellie Lund.

Glendale also qualified for the playoffs last season under coach Casey Sripramong. The Nitros dropped a hard-fought 15-11 decision to top-seeded Lakeside in the first round. The Nitros will stay in Division VI.

Perhaps giving Glendale a boost will be that it is returning several key starters, including senior utilities Mondana Nassirpour and Arpa and Aleh Shabazian. Nassirpour picked up All-Area accolades after tallying 55 goals, 29 steals and 23 assists last season.

“We’ll have seven returners and they are all seniors,” Sripramong said. “Hopefully we’ll have a good season.

“We’ll look to be competitive in league, which will definitely have a lot of good teams.”

Hoover will begin its second season under the guidance of coach Brittany Connell. The Tornadoes tied for last place last season with Burbank.

Hoover, which will remain in Division VII, returns drivers Meleenae Goumrikian and Rebecca Voskanian, utility Arpi Lusparyan and hole/guard Preni Allahyarian.

“Things are looking good and we can’t wait to start,” Connell said. “It’s a group that’s been working hard at practice.

“We’re ready to go and we want to finish higher in league.”

Flintridge Prep didn’t qualify for the Division VI playoffs after finishing sixth in the Prep League last season. The Rebels have since been shifted to Division VII.

“I think we’ll see some improvement,” said Prep coach Andrew Phillips, who led the boys’ team to a league title and playoff appearance in the fall. “We’ll look for their awareness to be good. If we can increase that, then we’ll do a lot better.”

The Rebels will be led by senior driver Maxine Mangubat, junior utility Danielle Maxwell, sophomore driver Paige Nixon and freshman utility Natalie Kaplanyan.

charles.rich@latimes.com

Twitter: @TCNCharlesRich

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