Agoura, Westlake prepping for postseason water polo

Chargers dominate league, while Warriors earn first playoff berth


JANN HENDRY/Acorn Newspapers EYES  ON  THE CAGE- Agoura's  Casey  Clark  looks  for  an opening during Monday's 18-2 Charger victory at Westlake High.

JANN HENDRY/Acorn Newspapers EYES ON THE CAGE- Agoura’s Casey Clark looks for an opening during Monday’s 18-2 Charger victory at Westlake High.


The Agoura High girls’ water polo team earned its 20th win of the season Monday afternoon at Westlake. The very next day, the Chargers made it lucky No. 21 with a victory at home against Thousand Oaks.

AHS completes its Marmonte League schedule today at Newbury Park. A win against the Panthers would mean a second consecutive unbeaten league record for the Chargers.

“Agoura trains hard. They live to play water polo and it shows,” said Westlake head coach Pat Midgley, following his team’s 182 defeat to AHS earlier in the week.

“They come out every day and compete and really go hard no matter what. Their competitiveness is second to none.”

Agoura is ranked second in the latest CIFSouthern Section Division II coaches’ poll. The only other Marmonte League team ranked in the poll is Royal at No. 10.

The Chargers advanced to the CIFSS Division IV final a season ago before losing an 8-7 heartbreaker to Santa Barbara.

Just last weekend, AHS finished fourth at the prestigious Southern California Water Polo Championships in Irvine. Thirtytwo of the finest teams in the region competed in the event.

AHS is led by University of Hawaii-bound goalkeeper Sara Gralitzer.

“She is playing great for us this year,” Agoura head coach Jason Rosenthal said. “In Irvine she kept us in some key games and helped us get a few great wins. She’s been outstanding. Her play has really stepped up from last year.”

Gralitzer said Agoura’s defense is a team strength.

“We always work on defense; that’s one of the biggest things for us,” she said. “Our defense as a whole plays really well together, and our defense leads to our offense.”

Carly Clark, Casey Flacks, Casey Clark and Jillian Waldron have all contributed offensively, Rosenthal said.

Royal and Thousand Oaks tied for second place. According to TOHS head coach Mike Giles, Royal is expected to earn the league’s second playoff seed based on a pair of head-to-head victories over the Lancers earlier in the regular season.

Still, Giles said he’s excited about the prospects of taking another team into the postseason.

“We’re happy to tie for second, even if we get a third-place seed,” Giles said.

“We’re thrilled about it. It’s been a good year for us.”

Westlake locked up fourth place. It’s the first time in school history the Warriors have qualified for the postseason, Midgley said.

“It means the world to me,” Midgley said. “I coached these seniors as freshmen. To give them the chance to play in the playoffs is something special. We’ve talked about it since they were freshmen, and they’ve taken beatings all the way up the ranks.

“Progressively, they’ve gotten better, to the point now where we can make the playoffs,” he said. “I think more about this set of seniors than any set of girls I’ve ever had. They’re probably the reason I’m still coaching.”

Senior Natalie Todak might be Westlake’s most skilled offensive player. Kathryn Nary, a left-hander, has been a top goal scorer as well.

“Natalie’s a tremendous player,” Midgley said. “We run a lot of our offense through her. Kathryn, she’s quite the competitor.”

Twometer guard Cassie Briers, another one of the team’s five seniors, is the Warriors’ best defenseman, the coach said.

“She’s the foundation of our defense, all the way,” Midgley said.

Playoff pairings will be released Monday at noon.

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