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Water polo opens 2025 season with split at Central Valley Showdown

Water polo opens 2025 season with split at Central Valley Showdown

CLOVIS, Calif. – Junior Maya Wenceslao scored five goals while sophomore Emma Dietrich and freshman Gia Navarrete each added four, as St. Francis dispatched Golden West, 15-8, in the nightcap of Day 1 at the Central Valley Showdown girls' water polo tournament at Clovis West Friday night.

The Troubadours, who fell to Atascadero by a 17-2 final to start the day, opens their new season at 1-1. St. Francis will play either Edison or Willow Glen to open its Day 2 slate at 8:50 a.m., also at Clovis West.

Navarrete and Kendal Douglas had the lone goals against Atascadero. Sophomore goalkeeper Sasha Michon logged nine saves in Friday morning's tilt, then added another eight against GW – including four stops in the final quarter.

Impressively, St. Francis competed with just eight available players in the opener, then only the minimum seven in Friday's nightcap. Douglas and junior Savannah Hamilton had the remaining goals in the win over the Trailblazers. Hamilton led with four assists, with Dietrich and Ava Jack providing three more apiece.

As the name suggests, the Central Valley Showdown features the top programs from throughout the Central Section, plus teams from the Sacramento area, East Bay and central coast. A total of 28 teams are entered – 16 in the 'A' division, 12 in St. Francis' 'B' group.