W. Water Polo: Sergio Macias named SCC Co-Coach of the Year

Head coach Sergio Macias was voted the SCC Co-Coach of the Year
Head coach Sergio Macias was voted the SCC Co-Coach of the Year

After three seasons of missing out on playing in the South Coast Conference Tournament championship game, the Cerritos College women's water polo team advanced to the finals of the tourney. Although they lost the championship game to Long Beach City College, the Falcons were rewarded with eight players earning all-conference recognition, while head coach Sergio Macias was named the Co-Coach of the Year. It's the first time since 2012 that Macias received the award and sixth time in his career and will now be on the ballot for Southern California Coach of the Year.

Those who earned 1st Team All-SCC recognition included freshmen Jasmine Escorcia (Western HS), Monserrat Rodriguez (Western HS) and Jayden-Starr Smith (Buena Park HS), while freshmen Isabella Ochoa (California HS) and Luna Huitron (Warren HS) were voted to the 2nd Team. The trio of Isabel Guillen (Whittier HS), Danielle Martin (El Rancho HS) and Isabelle Varela (Valencia HS) were selected Honorable Mention. 

Escorcia was second on the team with 45 goals, while she led the team with 41 assists and 31 exclusions drawn. She scored a season-high five goals against Mt. San Antonio College and had four goals against Cuesta College and Palomar College. Escorscia also assisted on four goals twice. As for Rodriguez, she led the team in goals (52) and steals (65), while she also assisted on 27 goals. She produced seven goals against East Los Angeles College and scored in 23 of the 26 games in which she appeared. Rodriguez also had four goals in four other games and posted four assists twice. Her 68 steals are also eighth in the state. In addition to her goalkeeper duties, Smith also scored seven goals and assisted on 20 others. She also ranks seventh in the state with her 68 steals, while the 249 she posted are fourth in the state. Smith posted 15 games with double-digit saves, which included a season-high 15 stops against Modesto College.

As for Ochoa, she was third on the state with 43 goals to go along with 36 steals and 26 assists, while she was second on the team with 29 exclusions drawn. She had a season-high four goals against West Valley College and also scored three times in six other games. Starting in 21 of 26 games, Huitron concluded the season with 24 goals, to go along with 15 assists and 14 steals, and included a season-high six goals scored against Las Positas College. Guillen (18 goals, 14 assists), Martin (nine goals, 23 steals, 14 assists) and Varela (six goals, 12 steals, 10 assists) also had good seasons for the Falcons.