There were several key elements this season that helped the Aptos High girls’ water polo team reach last week’s Central Coast Section Division II championship game.
But none was more impactful than having senior Fiona Carey take charge of the Mariners, who fell in a 6-3 loss to Stevenson School in the section finals at Hollister High School on Nov. 11.
Carey finished with a team-best 92 goals to go along with 19 assists and 28 steals, according to the Max Preps website. For her accomplishments, she earned All-Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League First Team honors.
Aptos defeated Santa Catalina and Harker schools in the first two rounds of the playoffs in order to reach the title match against Stevenson, which beat the Mariners, 5-3, in non-league action Oct. 13.
Fellow teammates sophomore Adelaide Friedley and freshman Mary Suarez-Abraham earned All-SCCAL Second Team honors.
Friedley recorded 45 goals, 31 assists and 27 steals, while Suarez-Abraham established herself as the team’s lead goalkeeper with 233 saves, 35 assists, 25 steals and three goals scored for the Mariners.
Sophomores Madi Knudsen and Bellame Breen both made the honorable mention list. Knudsen had 30 goals and 22 assists, and Breen recorded 31 goals and 32 assists for Aptos, which went 4-4 in league play and finished with a 16-13 overall record.
Individual Awards
Most Valuable Player: Leah Murphy (Sr.), Soquel
Coach of the Year: Ryan Chapatte, Soquel
First Team
Fiona Carey (Sr.), Aptos
Zoe Ann Watson (Sr.), Santa Cruz
Daisy Mueller (Sr.) Santa Cruz
Violet Rubin (So.), Santa Cruz
Leah Murphy (Sr.), Soquel
K.K. Matthies (Sr.), Soquel
Summer Stelck (Sr.), Soquel
Maddie Barwick (Jr.), Soquel
Second Team
Adelaide Friedley (So.) Aptos
Mary Suarez-Abraham (Fr.), Aptos
Serena Manildi (Jr.), Harbor
Abigail Higgens (Jr.), Harbor
Giulia D’Souza (Jr.), Santa Cruz
Elizabeth Penny (Fr.), Soquel
Amelie Stotland (Sr.), Soquel
Natalie Salerno (So.), Soquel
Honorable Mention
Madi Knudsen (So.), Aptos
Bellame Breen (So.), Aptos
Scout Bauman (Sr.), Harbor
Kate Brandon (So.), Harbor
Tess Reedy (Sr.), San Lorenzo Valley
Natasha Gunion (Sr.), SLV
Ben Sommereville (So.), Santa Cruz
Sage Steller-Croll (Fr.), Santa Cruz
Isabella Bridi-Milligan (Fr.), Soquel
Libby Forrest (So.), Soquel
