Scouting DuPage County girls water polo

When you can graduate your all-time leading scorer from an Elite Eight team but enter a new season with top-shelf players primed to pick up the slack, you've got one solid water polo program on your hands.

Naperville Central coach Jeff Plackett is guilty as charged with a team that placed fourth in Illinois last year and is expected to make another run at a state trophy this season.

"We have 13 girls returning this year who saw time during the sectional and state final tournaments a year ago," Plackett said. "The core of the team may be young, but seniors Colleen Young, Emily Wooten and Haley Nelson provide plenty of leadership."

All-time scoring leader Kara Wilson graduated, leaving this year's offense in the hands of all-state junior Claire Fleming, who had 61 goals, 30 assists and 71 steals last year, and Nelson, who netted 27 goals and posted 41 assists as a junior.

Junior goalkeeper Sam Virella made 298 saves last year, and a trio of newcomers in Vanessa Lin, Claire Wirtz, Emily Sejna and Abbey Kerth should all figure prominently for Illpolo.com's No. 4-ranked team.

Not that preseason rankings ever earned anybody a win.

"Talk to me in May. That's when it'll mean something," Plackett said. "We've got a good group back, but you never really know what you have until the season gets going."

No. 19 Neuqua Valley, No. 22 Waubonsie Valley, and No. 23 Hinsdale Central all made Illpolo.com's preseason top 25, with Naperville North and York on the outside edge of the rankings.

Neuqua will be led offensively by senior driver Jeanette Nolte, who posted more than 40 goals and 60 steals last season. The Wildcats are young, but a strong junior core will look to help carry them as the team gets seasoned.

Chemistry may not take long, as junior drivers Chelsea Pesesky, Callie Young, Jessica Zimmerman, Shianne Gillespie and Jen Nehls have been playing together since their freshmen season.

Junior goalie Danielle Cirrintano will anchor the defense and provide leadership in back after posting 150-plus saves in net last season.

"It may seem like a rebuilding year, but I'm confident we'll continue to be strong," said Neuqua coach Lenny DePasquale. "The girls have heart, passion and a dedication to the sport."

For Waubonsie Valley the season will hinge on the play of a young team after coach Diana Mehl saw eight seniors graduate from last year's squad.

"It will be hard to be back at the level we were at last year, but the girls are determined to be a better all-around team," Mehl said. "They're dedicated and picking up the finer points of the game quickly."

This year's Warriors are built on speed and defense. Senior driver Mallory Webber and junior drivers Ember McCoy and Nikki Mandl will help lead, and Mehl will count on consistently solid play from hole players Sabina Kastanova and Amy Slana.

Hinsdale Central features a player who netted 87 goals last year in Caitlin Connor, and she'll get support from Mallory Smith (14 goals in 2008) and a strong defensive player in Ariel Rickelman who also chipped in 11 goals last season.

Sara Shaner's speed and Lexi Gross's all-around play will also key the Red Devils, along with a trio of experienced seniors in Taylor Marsh, Maddy Morrison and Eileen Toomey.

"We have some incredible swimmers on our team, and there is a lot of excitement about starting the season," said Red Devils coach Chris Wilbur. "We lost several strong seniors, but our new seniors have really embraced their leadership roles. They are incredible role models for their teammates."

Last year's young team at York is no longer young, and the Dukes are aiming to use their experience to do battle against the state's top teams.

"This year we are full of seniors and juniors that have a lot of experience," said York coach David Rafferty-Flatter. "We want to build upon our success at the end of last year, and we want to be competitive at all levels this year."

York returns a combined 58 goals scored last year by the driver duo of seniors Therese O'Toole and Janet Skukas. Senior Grace Nelson will look to add to her total of 13 goals last season, and senior hole defender Amanda Hewson anchors the girls in back.

- Gary Larsen