The Doings Weekly

Barron brings championship mentality to Fenwick water polo season

 

GEORGE M. WILCOX | @geomwilcox@pioneerlocal.com March 4, 2013 8:14PM

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Fenwick's Colleen Barron lets loose a shot against Mother McAuley. | Judy Fidkowski~For Sun-Times Media

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Katie Appell

Oak Park-River Forest

The Huskies (13-18 last season, 2-3 West Suburban) are ranked No. 23 in the preseason by illpolo.com. They lost to Lyons in last year’s sectional semifinal. Appell, a third-team preseason selection, is the top returning player as a junior and should receive a boost from the return of goalie Zoe Erickson.

Cara Borkovec

Fenwick

The top returning scorer from last year’s state champion is back for more after contributing more than 80 goals a year ago. The junior was picked for illpolo.com’s preseason first team with teammates Colleen Barron and Alexa Ovalle. Borkovec scored two goals in the 10-7 state championship win over Naperville Central. “She seems to see things before they happen and puts herself in good position,” Fenwick coach Jack Wagner said.

Blair Hopwood

Lyons

Hopwood and teammate Carly Strass are the last remaining players from Lyons’ 2010 state championship team. Hopwood is a second-team preseason pick for No. 9-ranked Lyons (29-2-1, 5-0). Fenwick beat Lyons 7-6 in double-overtime in last year’s sectional final. Lauren Burel takes over as coach, Lyons’ third in as many years.

Alexa Ovalle

Fenwick

The junior was one of three Fenwick players in last year’s state final to score at least two goals. Ovalle ranked third in scoring last season with nearly 50 goals and provides plenty of offensive power despite her 5-foot-4 size. “Alexa is very gritty and gets us a lot of tough goals,” Wagner said.

Sarah Pircon

Hinsdale Central

The senior and three-year starter is the top returnee for the Devils (13-16-1, 3-2), who face an uphill battle trying to topple perennial power Lyons in the West Suburban. Pircon is honorable mention in the preseason by illpolo.com. “(Pircon) is dedicated to improving everyone’s skills, not just her own,” Devils coach Chris Wilbur said.

Updated: April 8, 2013 6:44AM

Similar to the fall swimming season, Colleen Barron is getting used to playing water polo without her older sister around.

The Barron sisters of Darien have led Fenwick girls water polo to the last two state championships. Maureen Barron graduated after last year’s 10-7 championship win over Naperville Central at Stevenson. She led the Friars (32-3) with more than 46 assists on the season and ranked fourth in scoring, tallying twice in the state final.

Junior Colleen Barron did well without having Maureen Barron on the swim team in the fall, setting a state record in the 200-yard medley relay and taking second in the 200 free relay.

Her goal of winning a state water polo championship remains the same, but she’ll try to do it without her sister’s guidance in the pool.

“Obviously, it will be very different from last year,” Colleen Barron said. “She was always with me the whole time since I’ve been in high school for water polo and swimming too. It will be different without her.”

During the offseason, Colleen Barron played water polo when open pool time was available, usually on weekends. An elite swimmer, training for that sport usually came first, but Barron tried to balance the two as well as she could.

“I think I’m more of a water polo person,” Barron said. “I love swimming too, but I like water polo (more).”

Fenwick coach Jack Wagner said she has a variety of tools.

“Colleen is a great defender who has the ability to guard two meters or out on the perimeter,” Wagner said. “Offensively, she has a strong outside shot and the speed to lead the counter-attack.”

Barron is one of three Fenwick players from DuPage County, joining senior Paige Kohut (Clarendon Hills) and junior Janette Angelini (Darien). While Barron is one of three starters back, captain Mackenzie Bonk graduated after her goalkeeping directed the team to a state title. Her replacement is last year’s backup, junior Alexis Buglio.

Fenwick, which is ranked No. 1 in the preseason by illpolo.com, opens the season Monday with a home match against Loyola at 6:30 p.m.

The Friars will travel to Florida March 28-April 2 for a five-match tournament. They head to Michigan for another tournament in late April.




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