Girls’ Water Polo: Five locals on first team in OCL

Costa Mesa High seniors Kellie Thorsness and Aubry Hill, Estancia seniors Alexis Paul and Ilene Umansky and Mesa junior goalie Kaitlin Hill have all earned first-team honors in the Orange Coast League for girls’ water polo.

Thorsness, a co-captain along with Aubry Hill, led the Mustangs (17-9) with 96 goals, 12 assists and 26 steals. She helped Costa Mesa finish second in league and return to the CIF Southern Section Division 1 playoffs.

Thorsness’ goal total placed her second in single-season annals in program history, only behind Sarah Bowman, who scored 122 goals in 2005.

Aubry Hill, a defender, was second on the Mustangs with 65 goals. She added a team-best 26 assists, and was second on the Mustangs with 51 steals. Her younger sister Kaitlin made 240 saves, which is the second-best single-season total in program history. Stephanie Lombardo made 311 saves in 1999.

Paul made 178 saves for the Eagles (14-14), who tied for third in league and won two third-place playoff games against Godinez and Saddleback to return to the Division 1 playoffs. She was a team captain and four-year varsity starter in goal for Estancia.

Umansky scored 110 goals, finishing fourth in Orange County. It is second on the Eagles’ all-time single-season list, only behind her 119 goals she scored last year as a junior.

Thorsness, Aubry Hill and Umansky were all repeat first-team selections.

Estancia seniors Danielle Ridge and Nikkie Blinn, as well as Costa Mesa sophomores Lauren Smith and Melissa Folkerts, earned second-team all-league honors.

Makenzie Fischer of league champion Laguna Beach, a sophomore center, earned the league MVP award.

— From staff reports