By Marshall Tempest
Reporter
The Wekiva water polo teams are having great seasons and have a few players ranked nationally. The season is in the home stretch, with both teams having just eight games left.
Boys water polo
Wekiva’s boys water polo team has had a solid season at 7-6 but is 0-2 in district matchups. According to MaxPreps this week, Wekiva is ranked 34th in the state and 40th in the nation.
The Mustangs have scored 204 goals and allowed 164 for a 40-goal positive scoring differential. They are 3-3 in their last six matches. Wekiva, like its rival Apopka, also has players ranked nationally.
The Mustangs have a few players leading the charge, including Holden Pedrick, John Foster and Nicholas Woodward. Pedrick is ranked 18th in the nation in goals (59) and points (88) and has also collected 29 assists, 42 steals and a shot percentage of 59 percent in 13 games.
Foster has collected 32 goals, 18 assists, 18 steals, 50 points and a shooting percentage of 52.5 percent in 13 games. Woodward has collected 46 goals, 15 assists, 11 steals, 61 points and a 54.8 shooting percentage.
Wekiva’s goalie, Hayden Scalise, is also having a great season. Scalise is ranked 18th in the nation in saves with 93. Opponents have taken 306 shots at Scalise, with just 232 of those being on goal. Of the 232 shots on goal, Scalise was able to save 93 and allow 139 to achieve a 40.08 save percentage.
The team will have five matches the week they return from spring break. The first two will occur on Thursday, March 27, against Winter Springs, and the second will be against Gainesville on Friday, March 28. Both matches will be held at Lake Brantley High School.
After those two matches, they will attend a three-match tournament on Saturday, March 29, at Lyman High School. Their first match will be against Venice, followed by matchups with Lyman and Apopka.
Girls water polo
Wekiva’s girls water polo team is having a good season, just like the boys. They are sitting at 6-8, 0-1 in district matchups, and 36th in the state, according to MaxPreps this week.
The girls have scored 123 goals and allowed 175, for a negative 52-goal scoring differential. They are 2-4 in their last six matches, with one of the wins being a forfeit from Gateway. Like the boys team, a few girls on the team are also nationally ranked.
Ali Thomas is ranked 23rd in points (66) and ninth in goals scored (57) in the nation. Thomas has also brought in nine assists and two steals in 13 games.
Teammates Avery Megargee and Della Lucas are also having great seasons. Megargee is ranked 25th in points (61) and 13th in assists (27) in the nation. She also brought in 34 goals and 24 steals in 13 games. Lucas has collected 24 goals, eight assists, and 24 steals in 12 games.
Wekiva’s goalie, Ema Thomas, is also performing well in the net. With 94 saves, Thomas is ranked 18th in the nation. Opponents have taken 321 shots at her, 252 of which were on goal. Of the 252 shots on goal, Thomas made 94 saves and allowed 158 for a 37.3 save percentage.
The team will have five matches the week they return from spring break. The first two will occur on Thursday, March 27, against Winter Springs and Friday, March 28, against Gainesville. Both matches will be held at Lake Brantley High School.
After those two matches, they will attend a three-match tournament on Saturday, March 29, at Lyman High School. Their first match will be against Venice, set to begin at 8:15 a.m.; the second match will be against Lyman, set to begin at 11:15 a.m.; and the third match will be against Apopka, set to begin at 2:15 p.m.
After the tournament, the team has just three games left in the regular season.
