Hood River Valley’s top-seeded Class 5A girls team and the No. 2-ranked boys squad each advanced to the 2023 Oregon High School Water Polo Association state semifinals after playoff wins Nov. 2 at Chehalem Aquatics Center in Newberg.
The Eagle girls (12-8) and boys (13-8) will each play Summit of Bend in the four-team tournaments, Nov. 10-11 at Osborn Aquatic Center in Corvallis. The Eagle girls play at 12:10 Nov. 10 and the HRV boys play at 2:30 p.m. later that afternoon. Ashland plays West Albany in the other girls semifinal. West Albany plays Hillsboro in the other boys semifinal.
HRV’s girls beat eighth-seeded Cottage Grove, 16-0, in the playoffs in Newberg to advance to the final weekend. The Hood River boys also beat Cottage Grove in the play-in game, 16-0. The Eagle boys are seeded second in state behind top-ranked West Albany.
The Eagle boys, who finished second last season to Bend’s Summit, are unbeaten against 5A schools this season — as is top-seeded West Albany (16-8). HRV has three wins over Summit this season, the latest coming Oct. 23 when the Eagles won, 9-1. Hood River was led during the regular season by senior Elijah Adams (50 goals, 68 steals), and junior Caiden Titus (28 assists). Senior goalie Owen Sheppard touts a 10-goals per game average.
The Hood River girls won last year’s 5A state championship. West Albany’s girls team is 16-6 overall and seeded No. 2 in the playoffs. The Eagle girls’ balanced attack is led by senior Michelle Graves (36 assists, regular season), junior Sophie Cross (84 steals), junior Tess Marsden (49 goals), and senior goalie Esme Price, who had 125 saves through 19 matches.
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