IRVINE >> The result wasn’t what the JSerra girls water polo team was hoping for as No. 1 seed Centennial of Corona defeated the No. 2 Lions, 12-7, in the CIF-SS Division 5 championship game Saturday at the Woollett Aquatics Center.
But JSerra coach Natalie Seidemann found reasons to look back on the season with pride and to have hope for the future.
“Honestly, just when I look at my whole season, these girls put in so much work,” Seidmann said. “Half these girls weren’t water polo players at the beginning of this year and nobody thought we were going to be in a CIF division final and we made it here.”
JSerra head coach Natalie Seidemann, center, holds the CIF trophy plaque for the runner up place in the High School girls water polo finals at the Wollett Aquatics Center in Irvine. Centennial of Corona vs. JSerra in the CIF-SS Division 5 final of the girls water polo playoffs in Irvine on Saturday, February 19, 2022. (Sam Gangwer, Contributing Photographer)
JSerra fans hold up a sign during the High School girls water polo finals held at the Wollett Aquatics Center in Irvine with Centennial of Corona taking on JSerra in the CIF-SS Division 5 final of the girls water polo playoffs in Irvine on Saturday, February 19, 2022. (Sam Gangwer, Contributing Photographer)
JSerra goalkeeper Micaela Martz tries to get her fingers on a shot during the High School girls water polo finals held at the Wollett Aquatics Center in Irvine. Centennial of Corona vs. JSerra in the CIF-SS Division 5 final of the girls water polo playoffs in Irvine on Saturday, February 19, 2022. (Sam Gangwer, Contributing Photographer)
JSerra’s Sydney Chapman cranks up to pass the ball during the High School girls water polo finals held at the Wollett Aquatics Center in Irvine. Centennial of Corona vs. JSerra in the CIF-SS Division 5 final of the girls water polo playoff in Irvine on Saturday, February 19, 2022. (Sam Gangwer, Contributing Photographer)
JSerra’s Sydney Chapman gets covered by a Centennial defender during the High School girls water polo finals held at the Wollett Aquatics Center in Irvine. Centennial of Corona vs. JSerra in the CIF-SS Division 5 final of the girls water polo playoffs in Irvine on Saturday, February 19, 2022. (Sam Gangwer, Contributing Photographer)
Centennial goalkeeper Kylee Hieda stops a shot on goal by JSerra’s Sophia Baklhi in the first period of the High School girls water polo finals held at the Wollett Aquatics Center in Irvine. Centennial of Corona vs. JSerra in the CIF-SS Division 5 final of the girls water polo playoffs.Irvine on Saturday, February 19, 2022. (Sam Gangwer, Contributing Photographer)
Centennial High School girls water polo coach Crystal Voss, left, holds the Championship trophy plaque after beating JSerra in the finals in the CIF-SS Division 5 playoffs at the Wollett Aquatics Center in Irvine Saturday, February 19, 2022. (Sam Gangwer, Contributing Photographer)
Centennial head coach Crystal Voss, right, high fives some of her players after winning the High School girls water polo finals held at the Wollett Aquatics Center in Irvine. Centennial of Corona vs. JSerra in the CIF-SS Division 5 final of the girls water polo playoffs in Irvine on Saturday, February 19, 2022. (Sam Gangwer, Contributing Photographer)
The Centennial High School girls water polo team pushes their head coach Crystal Voss into the pool after beating JSerra in the CIF-SS Division 5 final of the girls water polo playoffs in Irvine on Saturday, February 19, 2022. (Sam Gangwer, Contributing Photographer)
JSerra goalkeeper Mikaela Mertz blocks a shot on goal in the third period of th High School girls water polo finals held at the Wollett Aquatics Center in Irvine with Centennial of Corona vs. JSerra in the CIF-SS Division 5 final of the girls water polo playoffs in Irvine on Saturday, February 19, 2022. (Sam Gangwer, Contributing Photographer)
Centennial’s Jessie Nelson cranks up for a shot on goal as JSerra goalkeeper Mikaela Mertz prepares to block in the High School girls water polo finals held at the Wollett Aquatics Center in Irvine. Centennial of Corona vs. JSerra in the CIF-SS Division 5 final of the girls water polo playoffs in Irvine on Saturday, February 19, 2022. (Sam Gangwer, Contributing Photographer)
Centennial goalkeeper Kylee Hieda climbs up to block a lob shot on goal during the High School girls water polo finals held at the Wollett Aquatics Center in Irvine. Centennial of Corona vs. JSerra in the CIF-SS Division 5 final of the girls water polo playoffs in Irvine on Saturday, February 19, 2022. (Sam Gangwer, Contributing Photographer)
Centennial goalkeeper Kylee Hieda stops a shot on goal during the High School girls water polo finals held at the Wollett Aquatics Center in Irvine. Centennial of Corona took on JSerra in the CIF-SS Division 5 final of the girls water polo playoffs in Irvine on Saturday, February 19, 2022. (Sam Gangwer, Contributing Photographer)
Centennial’s Savannah Jenkins, right, covers JSerra’s Isabella Melgoza early in the High School girls water polo finals, held at the Wollett Aquatics Center in Irvine with Centennial of Corona vs. JSerra in the CIF-SS Division 5 final of the girls water polo playoffs on Saturday, February 19, 2022. (Sam Gangwer, Contributing Photographer)
The Lions, playing in their first CIF-SS water polo final, had difficulty containing senior Jessie Nelson, who scored five goals for the Huskies (26-4) and drew seven penalties resulting in penalty shots.
Sophomore Bailey Desmond scored four of her five goals on those penalty shots.
Junior Sophia Balkhi led the Lions with three goals.
JSerra (20-7) did a better job slowing down Centennial’s juggernaut of an offense than the Huskies’ previous playoff opponents.
Program History! Congratulations to Girls Water Polo for their historic season! Big things. So proud of all of you. pic.twitter.com/hciJvVm6Rr
The Huskies scored, 22, 22, 22 and 25 goals respectively in their four playoff games leading into the final.
“We play a hard schedule,” Seidmann said. “We play Mater Dei and Orange Lutheran and Santa Margarita and we played Corona del Mar this year, who are in the Division 1 final.”
Not converting their scoring opportunities was a big factor in the loss, Seidmann said.
“If we would have put our opportunities away early, then it would have been a different game,” she said, “but that comes with the learning.”
Even when the Lions did take shots, most didn’t get past Huskies goaltender Kylee Hieda, who made 12 saves.
JSerra goalkeeper Micaela Martz, who had missed the team’s three previous playoff games due to an injury, made 11 saves.
“She is a rock star and she is looking to go to some great colleges, which I’m pushing for,” Seidman said. “We wouldn’t be where we were if we didn’t have her in the cage.”
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The Lions are returning all but one player next season.
“These girls played really hard and learned a lot and I have no doubt that in the future are going to keep moving this program forward,” Seidman said.
