The562’s season previews for the 2022-23 school year are sponsored by Vertical Raise, the official team fundraising partner of The562.
The562’s coverage of water polo & swimming is sponsored by the Aquatic Capital of America Foundation.
The562’s coverage of Cabrillo Athletics is sponsored by the Cohn Family.
The Cabrillo girls’ water polo program is in its building stages under head coach Hailey Pedersen, who is working hard to teach the sport and grow her numbers in the pool. This year’s team will be especially young, with nine freshmen among the 14 players on the roster.
Pedersen is working with almost a dozen players who are new to the sport, but she’s also got a few experienced players in the pool she can rely on. The Jags graduated All-League contributors Alondra Nunez and Jenny Topete from last year’s team, but that creates opportunities for new players to step up.
Replacing Nunez in goal will be sophomore Aalanah Edwards, while senior Sofia Villamizer will play right in front of her as set guard. Junior Malena Maestas will play down in the hole offensively with classmate Vivian Alderete playing the field.
“My goals for the season are to be able to grow my team, get the girls in complete understanding of what they have to do, and for my team to enjoy competing against others,” Pederson said. “Having a team of mainly new faces, it is my goal to ensure all players are understanding and appreciating the sport.”
The Jags will only have one level this season, and will be hosting the first Moore League game of the season on Dec. 21. That’s the date of the Moore League Varsity Showcase, which will begin with the Jags against Wilson at 4 p.m.
