As league play came to an end, the Dinuba High School girls’ water polo team advanced to Division 3 playoffs, with a record of  5-5 in league (4th place) and 19-11 overall. (MaxPreps).  They fought hard every game, which ultimately led them to be seeded 6th out of 16 teams.

Their first match-up was against Frontier High School on Wednesday, November 5th, at DHS. With the bleachers packed, lights illuminating the pool, and the crowd roaring, the intensity of the game heightened. 

Goal after goal, the crowd went wild, waving their green balloons in the air as they erupted in cheers. “Oh my gosh, it was electric. Every single move I made… was cheered on,” Alyssa Vasquez, the goalie and senior (1), expressed. “…that makes it better, I think, when you have more of a crowd and support. You feel more confident…” Kylie Alvarado, a senior (5), explained. She continued, “There are a lot of eyes on you, but I feel like it helps you ‘cause they’re cheering and everything.”

 At the end, the Emperors came out on top with a score of 15-7, knocking out Frontier and moving on to the semifinals. The next match was against Sierra High School on Saturday, November 8, at 11:00 am. The Sierra Chieftains were seeded third in the Division 3 bracket and, evidently, had a difficult opponent.

The game was intense, as the score would go back and forth in the first half. As the game progressed, the Chieftains began to pull ahead, the parents and supporters chanting as each goal was scored. As the final whistle blew, the crowd cheered as the game ended in an 8-14 victory for the Sierra High School girls’ water polo team.

“I’m not satisfied,” Alvarado stated, discussing the Sierra game, “I think that… we did our best but could’ve done better… We didn’t play to our full potential.” She mentioned that while their defense was up to standard, Dinuba’s offense could have been a lot stronger. “I was disappointed that we lost– I thought we could go farther,” Vasquez said. She added, “…I think that we worked hard enough to get to the spot where we ended up.”

Looking back on the season, the girls say their favorite elements were eating out with the team after a game or tournament. “…our pizza parties after tournaments and In-N-Out. And just, like, that feeling when you win and you go to In-N-Out after. It’s like a reward.” Alvara do exclaimed. “Definitely, getting food with [Coach] Wood. Or getting any food that’s free,” Vasquez laughed. They also highlighted the improvements they witnessed during the season.

“I think we improved a lot, especially coming from a team who are mostly freshmen and sophomores. I think that they played really well for their first time.” Alvarado said. “My words of encouragement are… just play your best and be a leader.

  Vasquez, who is also a first-time water polo player and goalie, encourages new athletes to give water polo a chance. “Try something new ‘cause you’re never going to know if you’re going to like it. It was really fun… I wish I would’ve done it earlier. Don’t be scared to play.”