CHANCE COMES EARLY IN JUST FOURTH YEAR, AGOURA GOES FOR TITLE.Byline: Kirby Lee Special to the Daily News When Agoura High formed its girls' water polo water polo, swimming game encompassing features of soccer, football, basketball, and hockey. The object of the game is to maneuver, by head, feet, or hand, a leather-covered ball 27 to 28 in. team four years ago, its goal was to win Southern Section championship, the same as every other school. That opportunity has arrived sooner than expected for the Chargers, who will play Santa Barbara Santa Barbara (săn'tə bär`brə, –bərə), city (1990 pop. 85,571), seat of Santa Barbara co., S Calif., on the Pacific Ocean; inc. 1850. in the Division II championship at Belmont Plaza today at 5 p.m. ``We always thought about it, but we never thought it would become a reality,'' junior hole-set DeDe Perram said. ` ``Yeah. OK, we'll go to CIF (1) (Common Intermediate Format) A standard video format used in videoconferencing. CIF formats are defined by their resolution, and standards both above and below the original resolution have been established. The original CIF is also known as Full CIF (FCIF). .' Maybe some day.'' Agoura went 5-14 in its first year, with only one league win, in 1997. The Chargers finished 10-10 in 1998 and was fourth in the Marmonte League The Marmonte League is a high school sports league primarily made up of schools from Ventura County. The Marmonte Leauge is part of the CIF Southern Section. Click here to view the league schedule. . Last season, Agoura was 21-6, won the league title and advanced to the Southern Section quarterfinals. Agoura coach Jason Rosenthal braced brace n. 1. A device that holds or fastens two or more parts together or in place; a clamp. 2. A device, such as a supporting beam in a building or a connecting wire or rope, that steadies or holds something else erect. for another down cycle after graduating 10 players in 1999. Instead, Agoura (21-6) repeated as league champion and reached the section championship. ``The girls learned a lot, especially from last year's group,'' Rosenthal said. ``They worked really hard and improved. They came back this year wanting to do something. And look where it got them.'' The typically vocal Rosenthal, who also coaches the boys' team, said he barely said a word from the bench during that tumultuous first season. ``I thought it would be fun,'' Rosenthal said. ``The first year was horrible. I thought `Maybe another year, then I am going to quit.' It got a little better the next year . . . we might have something there. Then it got even better last year. It has been rags-to-riches. It feels good inside to have gone from nothing to quality.'' For Rosenthal, his boys' team would have been a sure bet to advance to a section championship before the girls. The Agoura boys have reached the semifinals in four of Rosenthal's nine seasons. ``It is so exciting to be the first, guys or girls,'' Perram said. ``I think it is basically the same team we were last year, but we're all trying much harder.'' Rosenthal has changed as much as the girls' team over the last four seasons, his players said. In the beginning, Rosenthal coached the girls with the same drill-sergeant approach he uses with the boys. Rosenthal has softened soft·en v. soft·ened, soft·en·ing, soft·ens v.tr. 1. To make soft or softer. 2. To undermine or reduce the strength, morale, or resistance of. 3. his approach over the years, and success followed. The girls' team affectionately af·fec·tion·ate adj. 1. Having or showing fond feelings or affection; loving and tender. 2. Obsolete Inclined or disposed. af·fec addresses Rosenthal as ``Wham'' because they say he resembles the Whammy wham·my n. pl. wham·mies Slang 1. A supernatural spell for subduing an adversary; a hex: put the whammy on someone. 2. from the game show ``Press Your Luck.'' ``He started becoming a friend more than a coach,'' Perram said. ``At first all he did was yell. Guys can take that. Girls are more emotional. You can't sit there and bag on us. After that, he mellowed mel·low adj. mel·low·er, mel·low·est 1. a. Soft, sweet, juicy, and full-flavored because of ripeness: a mellow fruit. b. out. We began trusting him more and we all grew together.'' Katie Burris, the team's lone senior, is the school's first four-year player. Perram, as well as juniors Joanna Antonsen and Erika Clark, are third-year players. Antonsen was the Marmonte League most valuable player last season. Perram and Clark were first-team all-league selections. Agoura also has received a boost from juniors Chelsey Hutchinson, Missy Gorman, Keriann Miranda and sophomore Graziella Caredda, who were members of the junior varsity team For the American rock band, see . In sports, usually at the high school and college levels, members of a team who are not the main players in a competition (such as a football or basketball game) are called junior varsity players. that went 23-1 last season. ``In the beginning, we were playing more for fun, just having a good time,'' Antonsen said. ``Now, we take it more seriously, setting goals and seeing how far we can go. It really has not hit us to be playing in March. For us to make it to the finals, no one really believed it.'' CAPTION(S): photo Photo: The Agoura girls' water polo team plays for the Southern Section Division II championship today. Gus Ruelas/Staff Photographer |
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