TOWAMENCIN: Ending their nearly flawless season with a 9-7 victory over Wilson in the final round of the state championships, North Penn’s Girls Water Polo Team took home their fifth state title on Saturday, October 29.
Having coached the Girls Water Polo Team for the past 15 years, Mr. Bill Bartle takes pride in this perfect end to a practically perfect season.
“The maidens captured the Suburban One Title, the Eastern Conference Title and compiled a 28-0 season record versus PA schools. The Maidens only blemish this season was a 9-8 mid season loss in the Beast of the East Championship Game versus Upper Arlington, Ohio,” said Bartle.
Although the team is no stranger to success, this year’s win is not just another line in the record books, especially for seniors Brooke Else and Alex Kajari, who have been with the team for three state title wins over the past four years.
“This season has been a lot of fun and it has really meant a lot that we came out with the win because that means our hard work for the past four years has paid off and I’m proud that Alex and I could lead the team to be state champions! I’m so proud of the whole team!,” said Else, who was named Co-Ms. Water Polo and made First Team All-State along with Kajari and junior Brittany Patterson.
High standards and strenuous practices have surely paid off with the crowning victory that has been the team’s goal since the season first began.
“Our team practiced extremely hard this year to win States, we knew that’s what we set out to do in the beginning of the year, so we did nothing, but do our best,” said Kajari.
As if winning the state title wasn’t already accomplishment enough, the coach of rival Wilson’s team, Tom Tracy, wrote the Girls Water Polo Team congratulatory letter.
“I have been around the game of water polo for some time and your team proved to be one of the most disciplined squads. I can appreciate a team dedicated to their goals and one that works hard to achieve them. This season was one of the best teams I’ve seen in the history of Women’s Water Polo at North Penn High School. It was a team where players stepped forward to take an “MVP” role in a game when another teammate may be struggling. What made you so dangerous was how there were multiple threats to consider when defending your offense and your ability to work as one group during your defense,” wrote Tracy.
Coach Bartle felt as if the tenets of good sportsmanship and team work that he teaches the girls throughout the season came shining through in this final win.
“Each year the girls are reminded that athletics is an extension of the classroom. It is more important what one learns throughout the season then during a state title game… Our focus is leadership, dedication, discipline, and teamwork. The girls consistently work towards developing these skills, and those who do enhance their skills, win or lose, certainly find success,” Bartle said.
Both Kajari and Else commented on what an honor it is to be acknowledged for their performance, and couldn’t think of a better way to end their high school water polo careers. As for the future, Else plans on continuing to participate in water polo in college, as to where she is still has yet to decide. While high school will end Kajari’s competitive water polo career, she’s considering playing water polo at the intramural level in college.
This weekend the Boys Water Polo team will try to duplicate the girls’ results as they travel to Cumberland Valley for the Boys State Tournament.