Spring Sports Preview: New coach inherits experienced water polo team

New girls water polo coach Forrest Wells welcomes an experienced group this year, as 10 of the 13 players on the varsity roster are seniors.

Wells is no stranger to the Ray Williamson Pool, having swum and played water polo for BHS in the mid-1990s before moving away to attend college and work. He returned to the area 14 months ago and not long afterward was approached by Jeff Clark, who coached the team for several seasons.

“Jeff said, ‘We need someone to fill the void when I leave,’ Wells said. “So I went to the (water polo) board to make sure we were on the same page.”

They were, and now Wells is “getting to know everybody’s playing style” as the team seeks to improve its fourth place finish in last year’s state championships.

A key cog in that quest is senior co-captain Anna Wood, who has been in the program for four years. Wood was actually a little surprised at being in the pool at this point, as she was the second-leading scorer and rebounder on the BHS basketball team and fully expected to still be practicing in the Paski Gym. But the Spartans’ early exit from the post-season meant she was immediately available for water polo.

Wood plays hole set, positioning herself in front of the opposition goal. “I get the ball the most,” she explained. “I feed passes to others, or turn around and shoot.”

She’s optimistic about the team’s prospects. “We’re really quick and have some good swimmers,” she said.

Other key players are the team’s other senior co-captains, Katy Darling and goalie Joanna Raustein.

In addition to Wood, Raustein and Darling, the team’s other seniors include Kalise Ball, Hannah Basile, Emma Draluk, Paige Farwell, Lisa Heinlein, Alicia Konkel and Megan Webster. Juniors are Kay Maxwell and Jeannette Swanson, with Taylor Gawlik the one sophomore.

The team plays a somewhat truncated home schedule. It opens the season next Friday against Shorewood at 5 p.m., with the only other home game coming on May 8 against Mercer Island.