After two successful regular seasons, both Woodside’s boys and girls varsity water polo teams are ready to make a splash in this year’s playoffs.
Girls water polo, who placed second in their league, are looking to do better than a first-round playoff exit, which they suffered last season. Boys water polo, who co-championed their league along with Menlo-Atherton and Sequoia, also look to improve upon a first-round exit from last year.
“Our season went pretty well. We ended as co-champions for our league,” senior goalkeeper and captain of the boys water polo team Calvin Pfeffer said. “We had a really nice win against our rival Menlo Atherton on senior night.”
Pfeffer credited the great season to their talented players who came together to make an even more talented team based on support and teamwork.
“It comes more as making the extra pass,” Pfeffer said. “If you think you have a shot, sometimes it’s better if you’re guarded to pass it off to the other side because they have a better shot.”
Despite a season that looked good on paper, Pfeffer shared that the team has dealt with some problems and difficulties that have made the season challenging.
“We’ve had [illnesses], and [you can’t] really avoid that,” Pfeffer said.
However, the team is now fully recovered from their illnesses and is now in full swing for the Central Coast Section (CCS) games.
“Last [week’s practices] were all conditioning. And this week is now more,” Pfeffer said. “We just need to hone the plays that we’ve been learning throughout the season and then maybe learn a few more ones.”
Pfeffer hopes this year the Wildcats will be able to make a step forward from last season. The team lost in the first round to rivals Menlo-Atherton, but Pfeffer believes he and his team can make a playoff push.
“We’re hoping this year to win our first game against Gunn in the quarter-finals, and then if we beat Gunn we’ll go to semi-finals,” Pfeffer said. “[Making it to the semi finals] would be really nice.”
Pfeffer, who’s a senior, feels prepared for the first CSS playoff game against Gunn. As the team’s captain and goalie, he knows his role in keeping his team in check is critical.
“I just need to keep doing what I’m doing,” Pfeffer said. “I need to make sure I can work well with the defense and so that we all kind of work together as a team.”
This story of regular season success and dreams of a play-off run can be said for the girls water polo team as well. Girls water polo had a league record of 2-2, earning them a respectable second place finish in their league behind Menlo Atherton.
“Our regular season went really well,” senior and girls water polo captain Maggie Mein said. “We could beat every other team in our league, like Aragon and Hillsdale.”
That being said, Mein still wished to improve for the upcoming playoffs. Girls water polo was unable to beat league champs Menlo-Atherton during the regular season. As captain, she had some ideas on how to make sure the Wildcats will be ready for their CCS competitors.
“The main thing is getting our endurance up,” Mein said. “So that [we are less] stressed and [can be] able to counter each other.”
These are individual refinements, however. Mein said the main thing she and her team need to work on is getting better as one team, and making the most out of the few practices they have left before playoffs.
“We have less practices now, they’re only three days a week,” Mein said. “The [most important thing] is having people show up, working plays and getting them down so that we can use them in the playoffs.”
As the first playoff game on Nov. 9 sneaks up, Mein says she wants to mentally prepare so her hopes of a playoff win become reality.
“The main thing for me is just wanting to be in the game because the last couple of years I’ve been a little nervous about playing,” Mein said. “And then these past couple of games I’ve been wanting to get in.”
As a senior, she’s grown with her team over the last four years, and as her time in the water wraps up, she’s prepared for what playoffs have in stock.
“I’ve been wanting to play because it’s my last year,” Mein said. “What do I have to lose? This is my last time playing.”
