The water polo teams will play their final district game against Rock Hill at the Eastside Aquatic Center today at 5:30 p.m.
The girls team is third in the district and the boys team is second. Center blocker Mia Slaughter said this year hasn’t been as intense as years prior, because the team is more focused on learning the basics than getting far in district games.
“It’s been a challenging season because we’ve had to adapt to [all new] starting players,” Slaughter said. “Getting the basics back has been helpful for [the whole team.]”
In the last game against Rock Hill, the girls won 12-4 and the boys won 17-5. Head coach Donzie Lilly said that when the teams play against Rock Hill, they focus on teaching younger players to play full games, which is useful for development.
“A lot of girls got their first goals ever,“ Lilly said. “The first one is always the hardest. [The boys] had fun bringing in some of the younger players to see how they develop. We had a lot of fun, and both [teams] were in high spirits afterward.”
Due to the game being focused on learning, younger players play more than experienced players. Lilly said he usually brings in some junior varsity players to play against Rock Hill as well.
“[Playing against Rock Hill] is a learning experience for the new girls,” Slaughter said. “A lot of our starters and more experienced girls won’t get a lot of playtime in this game. But that’s OK, because we’ll have our new girls in there seeing what it’s like to play against a team like [Rock Hill].”
According to Lilly, Rock Hill has a newer water polo program with less experience. Hebron’s boys team has a record of 7-2, while Rock Hill is 0-8. Lilly also had previously coached with their current coach and said that he is driven despite the team’s drawbacks.
“It’s an uphill battle for [Rock Hill],” Lilly said. “They don’t [have] huge rosters [nor] a lot of veteran experience, [but] I think [the coach has] done well with them so far. I’m excited to see how he progresses with them in years to come.”
Lilly said that he thinks that this year’s playoff standings will be determined before the game, but it will solidify their spot. Last year, the girls made it to the regional final, and the boys made it to the regional quarter final.
“We have a very new team, so it’s refreshing that they’re learning and adapting well to each game,” Lilly said. “The growth is very fast, and I think this group plays very well together. The chemistry is good. They’re young and they’re hungry.”
