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Menlo-Atherton senior Rebecca Dorst and Sacred Heart Prep senior Heather Smith led their respective water polo teams to prestigious championships this season and have been duly recognized for those efforts.
Dorst was named the Central Coast Section Division I Most Valuable Player for the second straight year while Smith earned MVP honors for a first time in Division II.
A four-year varsity member at M-A, Dorst’s impressive resume includes one CCS Division title (in 2007), two additional appearances in the finals and the 2009 NorCal Invitational title.
While Dorst was unable to help the Bears win this season’s section title — M-A suffered a second-straight overtime loss to St. Francis — the NorCal title earlier in the season (against some of the top teams in the state) was the most prestigious of the season.
Menlo-Atherton finished 27-2 this season and 52-6 over a two-year span. Other Bears on the first team included senior Vanessa Lane and junior goalie Emily Dorst.
Smith was unable to help the Gators achieve a NorCal crown, she did help the Gators finish the season with a 22-8 record and a third straight CCS Division II title. Smith was asked to take over the scoring role left by the graduated CCS Division II Player of the Year Yvonne Dunlevie and did an admirable job with her leadership and scoring.
Joining Smith were first-teamers Catherine Donahoe (SHP junior goalie), Evan Cranston (Castilleja junior goalie), Menlo junior Hailey smith and Castilleja junior Natasha von Kaeppler.
2009 GIRLS’ ALL-CENTRAL COAST SECTION WATER POLO
DIVISION I
Most Valuable Player: Rebecca Dorst (Menlo-Atherton) Sr.
First Team
Jenn Talbott (St. Francis) Sr.; Hathaway Moore (St. Francis) Sr.; Erin Glenn (St. Francis) Sr. goalie; Kelsey Nolan (Leland) Sr.; Tam Nguyen (Leland) Sr.; Emily Dorst (Menlo-Atherton) Jr. goalie; Vanessa Lane (Menlo-Atherton) Sr.; KK Sandlin (Los Altos) Jr.; Carsen Nestler (Los Gatos) Sr.; Natalie Weil (Aragon) Sr.
Second Team
Katherine Elward (St. Francis) Jr.; Caroline Hanson (St. Francis) Jr.; Kristin Benedetti (St. Francis) Sr.; Sarah Winters (Menlo-Atherton) Sr.; MJ O’Neill (Menlo-Atherton) Jr.; June Afshar (Palo Alto) senior goalie; Skylar Dorosin (Palo Alto) So.; Ema Churnis (Los Gatos) Sr. goalie; So.; Katie Shaffer (Los Altos) So.; Elizabeth Anderson (Gunn) So.
Third Team
Allie Murray (St. Francis) Sr.; Heather Bogott (Menlo-Atherton) Sr.; Heidi Vickery (San Benito) Jr.; Katie Allen (Santa Teresa) Sr. goalie; Alex Santiago (Los Altos) Sr.; Shameen Jamil (Palo Alto) Jr.; Hallie Barnes (Los Gatos) Sr.; Stacey Colpin (school not provided); Leanne Kirtlan (school not provided).
DIVISION II
Most Valuable Player: Heather Smith (Sacred Heart Prep) Sr.
First Team
Evan Cranston (Castilleja) Jr. goalie; Catherine Donahoe (Sacred Heart Prep) Jr. goalie; Becky Friedenbach (Mitty) Sr.; Rachel Henry (Soquel) Sr.; Julia Peters (Presentation) Jr.; Audrey Pratt (Burlingame) Sr.; Katie Rick (Live Oak) Sr.; Liz Rosen (St. Ignatius) Jr.; Hailey Smith (Menlo School) Jr.; Natasha von Kaeppler (Castilleja) Jr.
Second Team
Jennifer Afflerback (Mitty) Sr.; Leah Ashley (Aptos) Sr.; Sophie Calhoun (Santa Cruz) Sr.; Sarah D’angelo (Live Oak) Sr.; Haley Kaplan (St. Ignatius) Sr.; Barbara Peterson (Castilleja) Jr.; Charlotte Pratt (Burlingame) So.; Lisa Rennels (Sacred Heart Prep) Sr.; Carla Tocchini (St. Ignatius) Fr.; Emily Parsons (Sacred Heart Prep) Jr.
Third Team
Layla Allman (Menlo School) Jr. goalie; Morgan Cundiff (Menlo School) Jr.; Laura Dunn (Pioneer) Sr.; Rachel Cretcher (Live Oak) Jr.; Linday Knap (Soquel) Sr.; Jessica Meredith (St. Ignatius) Sr.; Haley Smith (Mitty) Jr.; Kristen Strem (Burlingame) Sr.; Pippa Temple (Sacred Heart Prep) So.; Sarah Westcott (Sacred Heart Prep) Jr.
(The All-CCS team is selected by a panel of coaches)
— Keith Peters
— Keith Peters
— Keith Peters
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Menlo-Atherton senior Becca Dorst, who helped the Bears win 25 straight matches this season and earn a No. 1 ranking in Northern California heading into the CCS finals, is the CCS Division I Player of the Year for a second straight season. Photo by Keith Peters/Palo Alto Online. -
Sacred Heart Prep senior Heather Smith, who scored three goals in the CCS Division II title-game victory over St. Ignatius, is the 2009 CCS Division II Most Valuable Player. Photo by Keith Peters/Palo Alto Online.
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