HIGH ACHIEVERS: Remarkable 4th quarter spurs Capital Wave to Canadian 16U women’s water polo title

By Martin Cleary

When the history of the Capital Wave Swimming and Water Polo Club is written, there will have to be a full chapter dedicated to the fourth quarter of the Canadian women’s 16U water polo championship gold-medal final.

That eight-minute period was unlike any other in the club’s existence. The players were beyond stingy on defence. They were highly productive on offence at the absolute right moment.

Those two elements neatly snapped together, allowing the Capital Wave A team to stage a late rally and overcome a Western Canada nemesis to win its first national women’s 16U water polo championship earlier this month in Surrey, B.C.

Earlier this season, Capital Wave won the Eastern Canadian championship.

Capital Wave entered the fourth quarter of the Canadian final trailing Team Saskatchewan 8-6. There was optimism on Team Saskatchewan. There was equal amounts of concern and confidence with the Capital Wave players.

Both teams had met early this year during a Western Canada National Championship League tournament, when Capital Wave travelled to Saskatoon to expand its horizons and prepare for nationals. Saskatchewan decisively won that match and the players carried that reality into the national final, especially the fourth quarter.

But this time, Capital Wave excelled, scoring four unanswered goals, shut down the Team Saskatchewan scorers and emerged with a 10-8 come-from-behind victory for the gold medal.

“It was a pretty amazing feeling to see the girls battle in the water,” recalled Capital Wave women’s lead coach Gabriel Cooper in a phone interview. “I feel good, great, but it’s about the girls and how they played and came together against the best in the West.

“For them, especially, they wanted to compete as a team and keep pushing the pace.”

After the first quarter ended 2-2, Team Saskatchewan scored three goals in the second frame and pushed ahead 5-2 at halftime.

“A lot of people watching put us out of getting the win, but as coach I knew these girls were ready and wanted to compete,” said Cooper. “They weren’t giving up and wanted that gold medal.”

Capital Wave scored the first goal of the third quarter and that motivation and momentum boost lifted the players. The Ottawa team eventually tied the game at 8-8 before Team Saskatchewan scored a pair of late goals to regain the lead at 8-6.

In the break before the start of the fourth quarter, Cooper called the players out of the water as he needed to talk to them in a group huddle.

“We made a couple of mistakes that we had not made before,” he added. “We wanted everyone on the same page and following the same game plan.”

It was the final game of the season and the final game for some players at the 16U level before graduating to the 18U platform.

Team Saskatchewan won the swim-off to take possession of the ball to open the fourth quarter. But the best team from Western Canada couldn’t produce a meaningful attack. When Capital Wave took possession, it scored, which was another key psychological and momentum spark.

The players responded with error-free play, air-tight defence and goals by Skawennahawi Miller-Morgan, the daughter of Olympian Waneek Horn-Miller, Benedikte von Finckenstein, Paige Jones and Fiona Jowsey, who scored with 50 seconds remaining for a two-goal advantage.

Cooper was totally impressed with his team’s defence, which included stifling the speedy Team Saskatchewan counter attacks.

“The biggest thing for me was their discipline on defence. They were absolutely incredible,” he said.

The Capital Wave players were executing so well in that critical fourth quarter Cooper caught himself not calling out instructions.

“At one point in the quarter, I wasn’t yelling because they were doing everything they needed,” he explained. “The girls mentioned it and said I was quiet. They did everything needed.”

Capital Wave went undefeated at the Canadian championship, winning three round-robin and two playoff games. In the preliminary round, Capital Wave defeated Pacific Storm 10-5 (Naomi Jones, five goals), Ottawa Titans 16-5 (Miller-Morgan, six goals) and Edmonton Tsunami 14-4.

In the semifinals, Capital Wave turned back CAMO of Montreal 16-10 to qualify for the final.

Capital Wave finished its season with a 12-0 record, having also won a Water Polo Canada tournament in Markham. When it travelled to Saskatoon to play teams from Western Canada, Capital Wave’s matches were considered exhibition games. But the games against Western Canada teams, which included three losses, were invaluable.

“It was a wake-up call for the girls,” Cooper said about playing in the Saskatoon tournament. “We lost three games (Pacific Storm, Team Saskatchewan and Surrey), after going undefeated in the East. It helped to get them mentally prepared for nationals. We knew what to do.”

At nationals, Capital Wave defeated Pacific Storm in its first game by rushing to a 7-1 lead after two quarters, and Team Saskatchewan in the final.

“The growth they showed was awesome, not only as individuals, but also as a team,” he added. “You could tell at nationals they were seriously ready.”

Not only did Capital Wave win five straight games and its first national women’s 16U title, but also the team won three of the four major tournament awards.

Aline Borowiec was named the most valuable goalkeeper and Jones was selected the most valuable defender. The most valuable coach award went to Cooper.

“I knew we would definitely be a strong team and a contender to win medals at nationals,” said Cooper, who was in his first year coaching in the girls’ program after several years on the boys’ side. “Our goal was to make it as far as possible.”

Cooper was impressed by the leadership of co-captains Miller-Morgan and Jones.

“The whole team came together. There was a positive vibe. Overall, the feeling was very positive. The captains made sure all the players were accountable and showed up for practices. They knew they were medal contenders,” Cooper continued.

Rodrigo Rojas, the Capital Wave water polo head coach and executive director, also had high praise for the women’s 16U team.

“This group was definitely committed,” he said in a recent phone interview. “They had chemistry, always a team-first mentality, a balanced roster and didn’t rely on one player. The athletes bought into accountability and the work ethic. They were one of the most resilient teams.”

On the boys’ side of the 16U nationals, the Ottawa Titans won the bronze medal. The Titans won their three group matches, including a shootout over Pacific Storm, before falling to the hosts and eventual champions Surrey in the semi-finals and then beating CAMO 13-11 for bronze.

Capital Wave placed sixth in the 16U men’s competition, while the Titans 16U women were seventh. Capital Wave ‘B’ entries were 13th in women’s and 17th in men’s.

The Capital Wave women and Ottawa Titans men both placed fifth at the 18U national finals in Markham.