While both the boys and girls water polo teams showed plenty of offensive prowess in their first season of UIL competition, the Lady Dragons had an extra spark, winning 22 of 24 games this fall.
Junior Jojo Walters, who led the Lady Dragons with an impressive 110 goals and 24 assists, was named state MVP and was also a UIL state tournament team selection. Junior Somto Okafo was also named Goalkeeper of the Year for Region I.
Other offensive leaders for the Lady Dragons included Sydney Rubin (49 goals), Maile Farden (49), Kamdyn Geisel (37) and co-captain Regan Dixon (31). Walters was also tops in steals (93), while Okafo had three shutouts and registered 242 saves while in goal.
The boys were led by junior Rory McCarthy’s 91 goals on offense, while Chris Clarin (57 goals) and Brandt McBride (48) were next in scoring. Ryan Bradford had 17 wins and 191 saves in goal, while Louie Christensen was assigned to guard top opponents and registered a team-high 55 steals.
Eric Winkler (42 goals, 33 assists, 44 steals) was named MVP by his teammates, while David Valderrama (39 goals) was named to the UIL state tournament team. Valderrama scored several goals in the state semifinal game, allowing Carroll to come back and tie after trailing 6-1.
“They learned how to play in tight games, and by the end of the year, they thrived playing in those tight games,” head coach Keith Gomez says.
SEASON RECAP
With water polo becoming an official UIL sport this past fall, the question became whether Carroll athletes could successfully transition from a club level to the scholastic level while facing increased competition amongst a broader range of schools. The Dragons checked that box and proved that they are among the elite programs in the state, as the Carroll boys (20-5-1) and girls (21-2) reached the state tournament in the sport’s inaugural UIL season.
“By all accounts, we played the toughest region in the state,” head coach Keith Gomez says. “We really worked with the kids as far as having a growth mindset.”
Gomez saw his team grow up in a hurry, especially on the boys side since they had to overcome tough losses earlier in the season. The Dragons started off 5-3-1, tying then losing twice to Highland Park, as well as falling to Flower Mound Marcus. The boys then bounced back by winning 10 straight regular season games, then defeated Highland Park and Marcus in the second and fifth rounds of the playoffs, especially.
The girls looked dominant for most of the season, often winning handily and only losing once in the regular season. The loss came to rival Flower Mound, the defending state champions and Carroll’s biggest challenge to reaching state. The girls likewise found redemption in the playoffs, defeating Flower Mound 12-10 in the regional final to advance to the state tournament.
“I think they realize the pressure and how important each and every game is in the playoffs,” Gomez says.