STORY AND VIDEO BY MATT SIMON
With a big tournament looming, Maegan Simon and the Long Beach Wilson girls water polo team took care of business at the Moore League Showcase at Cabrillo on Wednesday.
Simon scored four goals in the first four minutes of the game as the Bruins cruised to a 21-1 win over Lakewood to open league play.
“We just wanted to put the game away early to give everyone a chance to get in,” Simon said. “I decided to take it upon myself early to score.”
The senior took advantage of early opportunities and shouldered the offensive load with senter Ava Bishop-Gargaro a healthy scratch due to some thumb discomfort.
With a large lead the Bruins were able to allow multiple girls to get in on the action as Wilson had 10 girls score goals in the contest.
“It’s a good start for league,” O’Dea said. “Our number one priority is to secure the league title.”
For Lakewood, coach Max Taylor was glad to get an early measuring stick for where his team is and what they need to improve on for the rest of the season.
“Wilson’s a great program, they’ve always been a great program,” Taylor said. “I’m telling my girls that we’re taking this as a learning opportunity and to just ask ‘how can we improve and how can we get better?’”
The Bruins will not turn their attention to the Santa Barbara Tournament of Champions where Wilson will face Dos Pueblos after losing to them early in the season.
“It was really important for us to have a winning mentality to keep our winning streak going into that game,” Simon said.
