RBHS girls water polo team is turning teamwork into success

Riverside Brookfield High School seniors Edie Hamilton and Priscilla Gil learned last season how success for the girls water polo team also comes from outside the pool.

“You can’t really be good in the water if you’re not good as a team first and have that kind of connection with your teammates,” Hamilton said. 

“Communication is probably one of the bigger things, not just when you’re playing but if there are issues or something we need to talk about as a team, being able to openly communicate that and be comfortable enough to do that with each other.” 

The Bulldogs had positive aspects to discuss Saturday after their season openers at the Hinsdale Central Invitational. 

RBHS lost to the Red Devils 12-0 for fifth place but were competitive in losing pool matches to St. Ignatius 12-6 and Lincoln-Way West 11-6.

Through various circumstances, primarily the school musical, the Bulldogs entered Saturday minus a practice with the full team together. They trailed both pool games 9-4 entering the fourth period.

“I would hope that they took out that they’re stronger than they think they are and that our defense is good when we work together,” said RBHS coach Amy Frey. “They started learning how to work together this tournament and that’s going to benefit us in the future.”

Hamilton, Gil, senior Lorelei Leimberer and juniors Olivia Dobbe and Isabella Gonzalez are returning starters from last year’s 3-18-1 team. 

Hamilton has established herself as one of the area’s top goalies, earning second-team all-sectional honors in 2023 and thwarting numerous point-blank shots Saturday.

“She’s awesome, has a great arm and is just really positive in the water, too,” Frey said.

Juniors Eleanor Glennie and Riley Mulhall and sophomores Isabella Abernathy and Chloe Ivan are returning letterwinners. Senior Madelyn Monroy and currently injured junior Sophie Ivan return with previous varsity experience. Newcomers include junior Lesley Castillo, sophomore Afton Douglas, and freshman Meara Douglas, Andi Ginder and Carly Romero and Leah Vega.

Gil was the Bulldogs’ top scorer in 2023 with 38 goals. Mulhall (15 goals), Leimberer (10 goals) and Abernathy (9 goals) also were top scorers.

Dobbe, Glennie and Leimberer anchor the defense. Gil and Dobbe each scored five goals Saturday and Gonzalez and Romero one each. 

“The strengths of the team are definitely the returning players, people who already know each other, and especially Edie. She’s a really good goalie,” Gil said. 

“Teamwork will obviously help (our success) and talking together as a group, working together, knowing each other’s weaknesses and advantages.”

RBHS boys water polo

Even as a junior, goalie Martynas Bieliauskas said he feels an important leadership responsibility this season.

He’s among just six returnees for the Bulldogs, and this year’s roster has six freshmen and three sophomores.

“The majority of our team is freshmen so that comes with challenges, especially because they’re not experienced. But overall we’re playing pretty well,” Bieliauskas said.  

Returning senior all-sectional player Alex Jacobs scored more than 60 goals in 2023. He still is considering playing in college.

“(All-sectional) was very exciting, especially because last year we didn’t have as big as a team we wanted,” Jacobs said. “And winning the first-round sectional game was a lot of fun.” 

The Bulldogs finished 3-17, edging Brother Rice 13-12 in their sectional opener before losing in the semifinals 24-3 to third-place state finisher Lyons Township.

“Getting to that semifinal round of sectionals is usually what we try to get to,” RBHS coach Kevin Wolak said.

Bieliauskas is the lone returnee from last year’s goaltending group but still hopes to alternate between goal and field play. 

Junior Avi Ponnappan, another top player, and sophomores Jake Kocourek and Henry Manning also are returning starters. Junior Julio Aranda is a varsity returnee while newcomers are swimming veteran Kamil Ptak, the only other senior, junior Jack Adams, sophomore Zachary Kowalski and freshmen Victor DiForti, Marcello George, Cristian Gonzalez, Emerson Lacey, Jacob Photiades and Zachary Soucie.