Naperville C., Neuqua to meet in final for 5th straight year

This is getting to be predictable.

For a fifth consecutive season Neuqua Valley and Naperville Central will meet today in a sectional championship game.

"This year we haven't beaten them at all," Neuqua Valley coach Lenny DePasquale said. "They're obviously a really tough, strong team."

Neuqua Valley (12-15) earned the bid by defeating Naperville North 12-2 after watching Naperville Central beat Waubonsie Valley 13-3 Friday night at the Neuqua Valley girls water polo sectional semifinals.

The Redhawks (27-2) won the teams' three regular-season games.

"They're obviously a really tough, strong team and they work well together as well," DePasquale said. "We're hoping to just come out and play water polo and see what happens."

The Wildcats boast just one senior, but Jeanette Nolte proved too fast for the Huskies to stop.

"We've been working really hard lately in practice and we've been working on our shots," Nolte said. "They've been pretty accurate lately."

Nolte had 5 goals, and she said the Wildcats have been working on a few new wrinkles for the Redhawks. She wasn't in a sharing mood, however.

"Um, they're secretive," she said with a laugh.

The Wildcats scored the game's first 6 goals to take away the Huskies' hopes early.

"They really wanted it, they wanted it bad," DePasquale said. "We had some good passing, driving and shooting pretty much from the whole team. We really try to make it a team effort every time.

"Defensively, we're really strong. We really tried to hold them, bust them out and get in the passing lanes, and that really worked."

Goalie Danielle Cirrintano came up with some big saves for the Wildcats also.

"She's having a really good week as far as making a lot of blocks and getting the ball down there when we get back on offense," DePasquale said.

The Huskies (6-24) had to play without one of their best shooters, Katie O'Dea, who suffered a dislocated jaw earlier in the week.

"Overall the girls did well," Huskies coach Andy McWhirter said. "Toward the end of the season they really came together as a team. So I'm proud of them."

In the opener Emily Wooten led the Redhawks with 4 goals, and Haley Nelson added 3. That is expected from Nelson, but Wooten has shown a scoring touch lately that is unusual for her but is great timing for Naperville Central.

"Wooten had a heck of a game. They just kept forgetting about her when we were a man up," Redhawks coach Jeff Plackett said.