Not quite according to plan
Things have fallen into place quite nicely for Wheeling's girls water polo team this spring, even if it's happening a little bit differently than coach Bob Savitt had envisioned.
The Wildcats clinched their first divisional title this week and seem poised to add to their best-ever season. First come nonconference tests against elite teams like Lyons and Bremen; after that the Wildcats meet Fremd on Wednesday with the Mid-Suburban League championship at stake.
Savitt had lined up a schedule designed to prepare his Wildcats for a likely sectional meeting with Loyola, a perennial power in the sport.
But when the pairings were released, the Wildcats found themselves as the No. 3 seed in the Stevenson sectional. The top two seeds there are Mundelein and Stevenson - both fine teams, but probably a little closer to Wheeling's talent level this year.
"It was really kind of a surprise to us because we'd really been expecting to be back in the Glenbrook sectional," said Savitt. "But hey, this is fine. We feel like we've learned something from everybody we've played."
One reason Wheeling felt confident for a rematch with Loyola, which eliminated the Wildcats in a one-sided game last season in the sectional semifinals, is the improved defensive work of Emily Sullivan. As the player responsible for guarding the opponent's strongest offensive player, she's been a key to keeping Wheeling's goals-allowed to a minimum.
Sullivan, an accomplished trap shooter, also happens to excel as an outside shooter in Wheeling's man-advantage schemes.
"I guess it helps a little bit," Sullivan says. "The ball just pretty much goes where I want it to go."
"She puts the ball exactly where she wants to," said Savitt. "It's really something to see."
Goalkeeper Kaitlyn Webb's development has also been a key. She's a junior, but Savitt says her steady improvement has helped Wheeling keep defense as its calling card.
And yet the Wildcats are much more than just a stingy defensive team. Hole set Amy Wilson, far and away the leading scorer, has been a reliable, efficient option all season. Drivers Liseli Baich and Christa Khaterian have been able to initiate scoring opportunities and finish plenty of them, too. And virtually all of Wheeling's players use the 'pop' shot to finish their breaks, still a somewhat rare technique in the girls' game.
The main reason behind the team's success, though, might be the individual commitment the players have made. The core members have played for District Unified Water Polo, the club Savitt directs away from the high school season.
That heightened commitment, combined with morning practice sessions that include dryland conditioning, make Savitt feel like he has a team that is built for the long haul.
"About two weeks before the high school season, I could see that we really had a chance to do something special," said Savitt. "And then these girls have really followed through and made it happen.
"They're all great kids, really sweet - and also tough as nails."
Which might come in handy. If Wheeling does win the Stevenson sectional, its probable opponent in the state quarterfinals would be, naturally, Loyola.