CALABASAS HARD-PRESSED TO FINISH FIRST RIO MESA FAVORED IN FRONTIER WATER POLO.

Byline: Heather Gripp Staff Writer

Teams like Rio Mesa are what makes the Calabasas girls' water polo team wish there would be a Pacific View League.

Rio Mesa plays in the Pacific View in all sports but water polo. The Spartans went 14-9 last season, tied for the Frontier League title and is expected to be even more competitive this season, leaving teams like Calabasas little hope for a title.

Rio Mesa's boys' team moved to the Pacific View League and won the league title. They used to play in the Frontier League, to, until the Pacific View League schools decided to play as a four-team league. But there was no split for the girls, leaving a six-team Frontier League.

After Calabasas, a longtime Frontier member, spent its inaugural season in the Marmonte League, enough Frontier schools fielded teams to compete in the sport. Calabasas' fourth-place finish was better than expected in the Marmonte, but matching the level of Rio Mesa or Oxnard is more than coach David Hershman could ask from his Coyotes as league play starts this week.

``Having fun and learning the game as a group is our main goal,'' Hershman said.

That several players had the flu prevented Calabasas from having a consistent lineup during the nonleague, and the Coyotes went 2-6. The players were given a couple of weeks to rest, and most returned at full strength for Wednesday's league opener at Malibu.

Malibu took third place last season and likely will challenge Calabasas for the spot again this year. The Coyotes lost to Malibu by one goal at the Newbury Park tournament.

Calabasas driver Susan Grant scored 37 goals last season as a sophomore and again is Calabasas' top threat. She has speed and runs the offense, working well with Christina Johnson. Senior goalkeeper Katie Selfridge is another key contributor and one of the team's most experienced players.

``They're really gonna have to just peak as a team,'' Hershman said. ``After the first round of league, they're gonna have a pretty good idea of where they're at and what they need to do. Rio Mesa and Oxnard have to be the favorites, though.''

The Coyotes host Oxnard on Monday.

--MARMONTE BEGINS: The Marmonte League also started its season Wednesday with the race for the title the tightest since the sport began three seasons ago.

Defending champion Agoura has the core of its team back, but as the Chargers improved with added experience, so did everyone else.

Newbury Park was denied an opportunity to prove just how much it has improved when last month's Newbury Park tournament schedule had to be adjusted. The Panthers went undefeated in the tournament, but because too many games had been scheduled for one day, in violation of Southern Section rules, Agoura was the one to play in the championship game, where the Chargers lost to Harvard-Westlake.

Junior driver Lindsay Berke should help seniors Katy Fick and Erin Campbell challenge for a finish better than third the past two seasons.

Thousand Oaks, which won the inaugural league title, is restocked with experienced players who learned from last season's down year. In addition to Newbury park and Agoura, the Lancers must overcome a talented Royal team that seeks to end a two-year streak of second-place finishes.

--THE NEWCOMER: Camarillo is the latest local school to add a team for the rapidly expanding sport. The Scorpions remain in the learning stage as they field their first team this season and are competing as a free-lance team.