Guerin Swims to the Top in Talented Pool of Athletes

Singling out the best girls’ water polo team in Orange County wasn’t difficult this season.

Los Alamitos finished unbeaten, 24-0, capping the season with a victory in the final at the Southern California Championships. The Griffins ended the season ranked as the No. 1 team in the Southern Section and the county.

Figuring out who should be selected as The Times Orange County’s player of the year wasn’t that easy.

Los Alamitos senior Kristin Guerin has been selected for that honor, but Guerin might be the first to tell you she doesn’t deserve it.

The most dominant team in the county had two dominant players: Guerin and junior goalie Jackie Frank, whose impact also was widely recognized; she was named player of the year in the Sunset League and Los Alamitos’ co-MVP with Guerin.

“Frank was the difference in the Irvine tournament final,” Villa Park Coach John Carcich said. “Without her, Long Beach Wilson beats Los Alamitos.”

Though Frank may have had the most visible impact in the season’s biggest tournament, Los Alamitos Coach Tony Martinho said Guerin set an example through the entire season.

“She has a tremendous work ethic,” Martinho said. “And she’s a humble person. She never let the pressure get to her and she just provided leadership all year.”

She also led the team in scoring with 78 goals, 22 more than the team’s second-leading scorer, Shelly Linza. But Guerin’s offensive prowess also was matched by her tenacious defense, and her opponents took notice.

“Guerin is very good offensively and defensively,” Rosary Coach Todd Sprague said. “The things she can do are amazing. She’s like Magic Johnson. She can score if she gets the ball in that position, but if she needs to get the ball to someone else to score, she finds a way to do that too.”

That adaptability was one of the things that helped keep Los Alamitos together, Martinho said. Guerin could fill in all the gaps for a team that had the talent but also accepted their individual roles to help the team win.

“Stacy Black [who scored 42 goals] was a dominating two-meter player, so that opened up a lot of things for Shelly and Kristin,” Martinho said. “Then we had our league’s defensive player of the year, Amy Valois, and Jennifer Moffett and Natalie Fagan, who are both about 5 feet 11, to make our defense that much tougher.

“What made Kristin so effective was that she is such a great all-around player, whether it was her shooting, passing, defense, whatever. She was able to look at the other team for their weaknesses, then see where she could best fit into our scheme to exploit those weaknesses.

“She did whatever it took to win.”

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ALL-COUNTY GIRLS’ WATER POLO

Name: Jackie Frank

School: Los Alamitos

Position: Goalkeeper

Year: Jr.

Her intimidating presence anchored a defense that keyed 24-0 season. Sunset League player of the year.

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Name: Kristin Guerin

School: Los Alamitos

Position: Driver

Year: Sr.

A top-notch defender, she also led the Griffins in scoring. Her all-around talents are unmatched in the county.

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Name: Jenny Lamb

School: Marina

Position: Driver

Year: Jr.

Lamb was the top player for the Vikings, ranked third in the county. Marina finished second only to Griffins in league.

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Name: Alden Moore

School: Newport Harbor

Position: Driver

Year: Jr.

Leading scorer for No. 6 team in the county, which competed in same league with Irvine and Santa Margarita.

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Name: Katie Ferguson

School: Santa Margarita

Position: Two-meters

Year: Sr.

A dominant scorer, she was named Sea View League MVP for the fifth-ranked team in the county.

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Name: Nicole Huzscz

School: Irvine

Position: Two-meters

Year: So.

The top scorer for the No. 2 team in the county, she helped Irvine finish third at So. Calif. Championships.

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Name: Kristyn Pulver

School: Villa Park

Position: Two-meters

Year: Fr.

Team’s leading scorer combined with Morgan Meyer to give No. 4 Villa Park a tough two-meter combination.

SECOND TEAM

Candice Chick, Marina, Jr.

Mandy Crawford, Irvine, Sr.

Brianna Foulds, Valencia, Sr.

Shelly Linza, Los Alamitos, Jr.

Morgan Meyer, Villa Park, Sr.

Chelsea Rowlands, Mission Viejo, Jr.

Julia Wald, Rosary, Jr.