HHS finally got into CIF playoff action Thursday night with the Girls Water Polo team taking on the Titans of Ontario Colony and the Girls Soccer team playing Whittier California. (See Quick Slideshow by clicking here.)
Water Polo dove in and used it’s speed, passing, and strangling defense to shut down the Titans and flexed their muscles on the offensive end with numerous goals from a multiple of players. Shelbi Skinner for Hemet put up five goals; McKenna Glasser dropped in 4; Madalynne Carattini lit it up for three; Emily Crane and Whitney Price each threw in two goals. The Bulldogs held the Titan to only a few shots through the first 2 ½ quarters and being up 13-0, got some great experience for it’s younger players. Four JV team members were brought up to get a piece of the CIF action. The final score was 16-5. Hemet plays next at Segerstrom HS in Santa Ana, Saturday at 12 noon.
The Lady Bulldog soccer team had it’s hands and feet full as the visiting school, California from Whittier, held them in check for most of the game. California was bigger and just as fast as we were and they played a very physical game at the stadium. Having very few scoring opportunities, Hemet was on it’s heals much of the game playing defense and holding off many shot opportunities from California. With two teams this balanced, the game began to make those in attendance nervous for 76 minutes of play, that is when Tristan Self got a deflection pass from Monserratt Cruz Rodriguez, got her right foot on it for a goal with 3:26 remaining in the game. All the girls had to do was to play strong and hold on, but no, they kept pushing after the clock stopped at 2:00 (scoreboard time). Hemet again had pressed the ball up and were hovering around the goal when again Tristan Self saw the open net and struck her shot for a sure goal, however, a California player jumped in front and deflected the ball, that is where Monserratt Cruz Rodriguez was positioned as she dropped in the final goal of the game. Hemet won 2-0 on a hard fought victory. Up next for Hemet will be the winner of Summit (#2 Sunkist)/Maranatha (#2 Olympic) at a site to be determined.
The boys basketball team can make it a hat trick for Hemet if they can go out and beat the visiting tenth seeded Glendora at Ted Smith Sr. Gym Friday night at 7 p.m.
If and when there are home games, everyone should come out and support our Bulldogs.