The Riverside Press-Enterprise
Rancho Cucamonga beats San Juan Hills in opener
Isabella Fantocone’s primary objective for several years was to prevent goals from being scored.
The main goal now of the Rancho Cucamonga High sophomore water polo player is putting the ball in the back of the cage as many times as possible.
That she did Tuesday night with eight goals — half of them coming in the first period — to lead the Rancho Cucamonga girls team to a 16-11 victory over San Juan Hills in a CIF Southern Section Division 3 playoff opener.
Fantocone was a goalkeeper prior to high school, and Rancho Cucamonga’s top 2-meter defender as a freshman last season. Now, she’s on the offensive.
“She picks up things naturally and quickly,” Cougars coach Gavin Nolan said of Fantocone’s ability to have immediate success while playing a new position. “She works really hard to pick up new skills each day. She has been killing it for us all season.”
Fantocone is a true utility
player and has not questioned being moved around in the pool over these past few years.
“I think it’s fun because I’m getting to experience the game as a whole,” Fantocone said. “I’ve really enjoyed it.”
San Juan Hills came into the contest allowing 14 goals per match, and Rancho Cucamonga (19-9) took advantage right from
the start. Fantocone needed only four minutes to register a hat trick, and her fourth goal gave the Cougars a 5-1 lead. Sophomore Aubrey Lee added two goals and three assists to help Rancho Cucamonga take an 8-2 lead after one period.
“Our offense usually comes out firing pretty hot, and that was the case again today,” Nolan said. “We can usually build up a nice cushion that allows us wiggle room later in the match to try out some different things. “We’re getting better at non-communicative communication, if that make sense. They are now seeing someone open on the opposite side without it being yelled at them.”
Nolan said that has come with experience. Rancho Cucamonga started four freshmen and two sophomores Tuesday night. Despite such a young roster, the Cougars claimed the Baseline League title for the first time in program history.
“I have been playing at Rancho for four years, so finally winning league meant so much to me,” senior team captain Carina Alba said. “We really thought we were going to win it all last season, but that didn’t happen. We finished second, but it made us come back and work even harder this year. … It felt amazing to see that hard work pay off.”
Eliza Walburger pocketed a pair of goals to help San Juan Hills (7-19) trim the deficit to 8-4 with 5 1/2 minutes left in the first half. Rancho Cucamonga had a response, however, as freshman Anastasya Gamboa scored three times and Fantocone added her fifth and sixth goals of the match to help the Cougars push the lead to 13-4 at halftime.
Nolan subbed out some of his top players at the start of the third period, and San Juan Hills took advantage and scored the first three goals of the half. Fantocone returned and scored two more goals, the final one being a 5-meter penalty shot she earned.
Gamboa finished with four goals and four steals, while freshman Lili Alofaituli added two goals, two assists and three steals for the Cougars. Natalia Brooks, another freshman, was solid inside the cage, with 12 blocks, three steals and two assists.
Rancho Cucamonga hosts Camarillo, co-champion of the Coastal Canyon League, in a second-round match Thursday evening. The Cougars are looking to advance to the section quarterfinals for the first time since 2017.
“I think we just need to keep bringing the same energy and motivation to every match,” Fantocone said.