RAMPTON, PALMBERG MAKE A ROYAL PAIR HIGHLANDERS' HOPES IN MARMONTE REST WITH DUO.

Byline: Nathan Brown Staff Writer

Angie Rampton and Kelly Palmberg are the force that has propelled the Royal water polo team to its current competitive status.

The Div. IV fifth-ranked Highlanders have the task of trying to unseat top-ranked Agoura and battle with the other Marmonte forces (Thousand Oaks, Newbury Park and Moorpark) to get a decent seed in the CIF playoffs.

Rampton and Palmberg are up to the task.

The seniors have played water polo with each other since their sophomore year and have developed a sixth sense - a trait commonly found in many successful sports tandems.

``They both kind of feed off each other,'' Agoura coach Jason Rosenthal said. ``They're like Scottie (Pippen) and Michael (Jordan).''

To develop chemistry like that also takes work.

Rampton and Palmberg push one another to achieve new heights and keep Royal in Marmonte contention - a task that is far from easy.

``We go almost everywhere together,'' Palmberg said of training at Pepperdine and the Ventura Coast club team. ``Even if the team doesn't go, I know she (Rampton) will. I can always count on her.''

The two aren't without their differences, however.

Rampton, who led Royal with 87 goals last season, is the vocal leader on the team while Palmberg, the team's second leading scorer, takes a different approach.

``I'm not as vocal ... not really vocal at all,'' Palmberg said. ``Being a leader doesn't always mean telling people what to do. I've learned to be a leader by showing, leading by example.''

This type of balance has sparked their relatively young team to be successful against polo powerhouses, most notably Agoura.

Trailing by as many as five goals, Rampton and Palmberg, with help from junior Agnes Konopka, jettisoned the Highlanders to within one goal (10-9) with a period remaining. Although Agoura went on to win 13-9, Royal knows it's close - very close.

``I think we can pull it off,'' Rampton said of her teams rematch at Agoura in January.

That type of optimism and drive is perhaps why Rampton and Palmberg are successful both in and out of the pool.

Palmberg is ready to move on, but not without water polo just yet.

Kelly signed a letter of intent to Indiana University in Bloomington and will likely help coach Barry King keep the Hoosiers afloat in the Midwest.

Indiana has a highly successful water polo team that finished 24-10 overall and made its way to the CWPA Eastern Championships last season.

``I'm really thrilled to sign with such a big University,'' Palmberg said.

Rampton was debating fashion school here in Los Angeles, but is currently looking at schools on the East Coast and is strongly considering Marist College in Poughkeepsie, N.Y.

The Red Foxes are a coveted water polo team, despite the cold weather, and will be playing against five teams in 2006 that were ranked nationally in the top 20.

``I love this game too much,'' Rampton said. ``I just can't give it up.''

Nathan Brown, [phone]

nate.brown(at)dailynews.com

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