We all know what the Midas touch is – turning anything into gold. But how about the Medina touch? It appears to be just as potent.
Veteran aquatics coach Ernie Medina has the knack of producing winners wherever he coaches. He is now at Hilltop High School and could have the school’s girls water polo team on the brink of something golden: a San Diego Section Division III championship title.
In the meantime, the Lady Lancers are playing like potential champions. They improved their record to 21-5 overall (8-2 in Mesa League play) after defeating Bonita Vista, 13-3, Thursday at the Loma Verde pool.
Medina said this is the most successful girls water polo team in school history – and that is just this far.
“The Hilltop girls have overcome injuries, illness and very close losses to be the best Hilltop has had in girls polo at Hilltop,” Medina explained. “Our goal has been and is to do well in CIF. If we stay focused, we will be hard to beat in playoffs.”
So far, it’s been a highly decorated season for Hilltop. The Lady Lancers captured the East County Invitational tournament championship in January and most recently placed 12th (the highest by a Metro Conference team) in the San Diego Open tournament.
Hilltop currently is the top team in the San Diego Section Division III power rankings. The Lady Lancers have beaten three of the top four teams in the Division II power rankings and have beaten two of the top eight teams in the Division I power rankings.
Junior Sophia Espinoza is Hilltop’s leading scorer with 103 goals in the regular season. However, Medina noted the team has much more firepower spread throughout its line-up.
“We have all our field players — Frances Carreon, Mildred Monsivias, Jackie Zatarain and Priscila Rude – who can score goals,” the HHS coach said. “Hilltop has a tough pressure defense with Sophie Espinoza, Nickie Torres, Priscila Rude and Mildred Monsivias with more than 50 steals. We have two strong center two-meter positions with Espinoza and Torres.”
Espinoza collected eight goals, six steals, five ejections earned and one assist in Thursday’s win over Bonita Vista. Torres had one goal, three steals, two assists and two ejections earned while Monsivias had one goal, three steals, two assists and one ejection earned. Rude added one goal, three steals and one ejection earned while Zatarain and Carreron each had one goal and two steals.
Dani Diaz made 11 goalie saves to earn the victory in the cage.
