Burroughs High girls’ water polo team’s experience too much for Pasadena
BURBANK — It was not too long ago that the Burroughs High girls water polo team was in the same boat that Pasadena finds itself this season.
The Bulldogs have a young team with just four seniors. The squad is still finding its way and still developing as a unit.
The Indians are young as well, but they do have a few key experienced players from last season’s CIF Southern Section Division V quarterfinal squad.
That experience was evident Tuesday in a Pacific League match against host Pasadena. Burroughs played solid defense and overcame a slow start to notch an 11-5 victory.
The win keeps Burroughs (10-7, 3-0 in league) undefeated in league play.
“It’ a nice way for us to start league, with the three wins,” Burroughs High Coach Danny Garcia said. “The team has been playing well in league. But we have a very tough match with Glendale on Thursday. That’s one that we need to win.”
It was a staunch defensive effort that helped the Indians knock off the Bulldogs (6-11, 0-2). Burroughs accounted for 28 steals in the contest, eight coming from senior goalkeeper Ahsha Earwood.
“I told Ahsha to be more aggressive this season and she’s really stepped it up,” Garcia said. “She just goes out and gets the ball when she sees someone coming in on her. She had 13 [saves] today, so she played well.”
Burroughs, which has surrendered just nine goals in its three league games, received three goals and four steals from Emily Holgate. Teammates Bailey Simmons, Kailee Groveman and Aliya Ehde added two goals each.
The young Bulldogs played well in the early going, as the Indians held just a 3-1 lead after the first quarter.
“We are doing a lot of good things defensively and we are working well offensively,” Pasadena Coach Jennie Jacobsen-Huse said. “But we just have to work on some things and go a little bit further with or passes and recognition of other situations. But we played OK today.”
Burroughs found its rhythm defensively in the second quarter and didn’t yield a goal. The offense did its part as well, scoring three times to send the Indians into halftime with a 6-1 advantage.
Pasadena played evenly with the Indians in the third quarter, as both squads tallied two goals and Burroughs went into the final stanza with an 8-3 advantage.
“We did miss our share of one-on-nobodies today, and that was a little frustrating,” Garcia said. “But all in all it was a really good effort for us and we are playing well right now.”
The Bulldogs were paced by junior Jade Christensen, who had three goals. Claire Taylor and Irma Sarac added scores for Pasadena.