After double losses against Hagerty, both the boy’s and girl’s water polo teams bounced back, each earning a win against Freedom on Feb. 24.
The girls started the game strong, junior Kennedy Anderson scoring twice within the first five minutes, and senior Gillian Dijon following close behind with another goal. Freedom retaliated with a goal to put them on the board, but Anderson and senior Carlyn Attaway responded with two more goals to end the first quarter 7-1.
Senior Madison Guetzloe and Anderson scored back-to-back goals right off the bat. Freshman Grace McGee and sophomore Logan Anderson each scored to end second quarter 13-1.
Freedom opened the third quarter with two shots, but junior Leah Pancake Gratz made the two saves. Guetzloe scored again, and Pancake Gratz made another save. Attaway ended the third quarter with one more goal.
Senior Camille Rimmer kicked off the last quarter with a goal, and Logan Anderson sneaked one last goal at the end to finish the game 18-1.
The boys immediately followed the girls’ game.
Freedom began the game with a shot, but senior Matt Livesay denied their attempt at a goal. Juniors Patrick Egan and Noah Hughes put the Braves on the board with two back-to-back shots. Shortly after, each scored second goals. Sophomore Andy Hoogvorst and Hughes each scored a goal to end the first quarter 6-0.
To start the second quarter, Hughes made another goal, closely followed by junior Giancarlo Ottone. Later, the Braves earned a penalty shot, and Hughes scored his fifth goal of the night. Sophomore Samuel Gentry Mickelson quickly followed with another goal, but Freedom scored soon later, and sophomore Micah Kinney responded with a goal. Livesay ended the quarter with two more saves.
Gentry-Mickelson scored his second goal to open the third quarter, and Hughes scores another goal. Another goal by Gentry-Mickelson, and Freedom slipped a second goal past Livesay. Junior Lucas Da Silva scored to retaliate. Livesay made two saves soon after, but could not stop Freedom’s next two shots. Junior Reed Bryan countered with a goal, and Freedom scored twice. Another save from Livesay and a goal from Da Silva finished the quarter 19-6.
Freshman Carver Reeves and junior Christian Assal quickly entered the last quarter with goals. Livesay made an upper-left corner save and Reeves scored again. Ottone scored another goal, and Freedom returned with a goal. Hoogvorst answered with his second goal of the night to end the game 23-7.
Each team has their next home game March 3 against Lake Nona High School. The girls begin at 6 p.m. and the boys start at 7 p.m.