STATE CHAMPS!!!
FEDERAL WAY – Since 2001, Mercer Island has dominated high school water polo in the state of Washington. 11 straight titles. Waves of NCAA D1 recruits. Too many goals to count. But with the Islanders failing to qualify for this year’s State Tournament, Bellevue senior Jake VanWolvelaere was determined to write a new chapter in the History of Washington High School Water Polo.
Led by VanWolvelaere’s eight goals, the Bellevue Wolverines defeated the Newport Knights 15-8 on Saturday evening to capture Bellevue’s first-ever boys water polo state title.
The championship match was a showdown between rival Bellevue-area schools located just four miles apart from each other. The #1-ranked Knights, led by junior First-Team All-State selection Lee Griffin, entered the game undefeated in regular season in-state play. But the #2-ranked Wolverines, who lost to the Knights by one goal in mid-October, entered the game with the State’s hottest goalie, junior Reed Hendrickson, and a defensive game-plan designed to slow the Knights’ star player.
In front of a packed crowd at King County Aquatics Center in Federal Way, Bellevue senior Noel de Sa e Silva opened the first quarter scoring by rising above a Newport defender to bury a perfectly placed outside shot. Soon after, Newport’s Griffin hit a driving Jeff Pyke to even the score at 1-1. Late in the first quarter, Bellevue’s Jake Gaskins scored a counter-attack goal off a pass from teammate Jordan Bowers to put the Wolverines up 2-1.
In the second quarter, Griffin, junior Will Helmer and senior Grant Schoenlein found the back of the net for the Knights, while VanWolvelaere scored two goals for Bellevue.
Solid goalie play and stout defense marked a scoreless first half of the third quarter. Mid-way through the third, VanWolvelaere broke a 4-4 tie by scoring on an isolation post-up play. This led to a flurry of goals – one on a power-play by Pyke, two by Bellevue senior Wesley Johnston, one by Griffin, and one by VanWolvelaere – to make it 8-6 Bellevue. With the third quarter winding down, Hendrickson blocked a Griffin attempt and fed VanWolvelaere, who launched a three-quarter pool-length shot past Newport goalie Mack Berry as time expired to put the Wolverines up 9-6.
With Bellevue leading 10-7 early in the fourth quarter, Bellevue’s Gaskins drew a third ejection on Newport’s Helmer (resulting in a game exclusion) and buried a quick shot to put the Wolverines ahead 11-7. The Wolverines immediately capitalized on Helmer’s absence by scoring four counter-attack goals – two by VanWolvelaere and two by Bowers – in less than two minutes. During the last few minutes of regulation, Bellevue goalie Reed Hendrickson made several spectacular blocks, including two consecutive point-blank shots of Griffin, to secure Bellevue’s title.
Bellevue’s Jake VanWolvelaere earned State Offensive MVP honors by scoring 24 goals in five State Tournament games. With 15 blocks in the finals and 17 blocks in Bellevue’s semifinal game against Curtis, goalie Reed Hendrickson earned State Defensive MVP honors.
The championship was the first in Bellevue school history. Prior to 2011, Bellevue had competed in the State Final game five times (2001, 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2009), falling to Mercer Island in each contest.
In the 5th/6th place game, Roosevelt used three goals from senior Tim Sherwood to earn fifth place. In the 3rd/4th place game, Curtis defeated Auburn-Mountainview 9-7 with a balanced attack that saw four players score at least two goals.
2011 Washington State Results:
1st: Bellevue
2nd: Newport
3rd: Curtis
4th: Auburn-Mountainview
5th: Roosevelt
6th: Rogers
7th: Wilson
8th: Puyallup
T9th: Auburn-Riverside, Emerald Ridge, Enumclaw, Peninsula
