Senior goalie to anchor younger Belen squad’s bid for title repeat
It was tense.
With each victory by the 2022 Belen Jesuit Wolverines water polo team, the pressure multiplied.
“As time went on, you start to feel the anxiety,” Belen goalie Bryan Weglarz said. “You think, ‘Oh my God, any goal I give up might lead to our undefeated season being broken.’ ”
Fortunately for Weglarz, the Wolverines went 20-0, winning their first state title since 2016. It was quite a season for Weglarz, who was a first-time starter.
The Wolverines graduated 10 seniors from that team. Only two starters return: Weglarz and John Paul Ciappone.
“We don’t have as deep a bench as last season,” Belen coach Jimmy Aguilera said. “We have a big opportunity to repeat as champions. We have some good dynamics and experience.
“But it will depend on our preparation.”
Aguilera said he expects Belen’s biggest challengers to be St. Thomas Aquinas, Ransom Everglades and Gulliver Prep.
The district playoffs are set for March 27-29. Regionals will be played April 1-11, and Belen will host the state semifinals and championships for boys and girls on April 14-15.
It will be the third straight year that the state finals will be played at
Gian Zumpano Aquatic Center on the campus of Belen, which will rely on a core group of seniors, including Weglarz, Ciappone, Andre De Leon, John Costello and Antonio Franco.
Costello, a Belen reserve last season who is now a key shooter, is confident the Wolverines can compete for the title in 2023.
“A lot of our juniors last year had the skill sets to be starters,” Costello said. “We just had better options [the 2022 seniors].
“This season, we’ve gained more chemistry and confidence in the water.”
Costello said getting the state tournament at Belen’s pool is a “motivator” for his Wolverines.
It also helps to have a goalie who has been through the state pressure cooker.
“Bryan is a great goalie,” Costello said. “He makes a lot of big saves. He’s always yelling and leading the defense, whether it’s telling us to press or drop back or attack.”
Weglarz, 17, isn’t the biggest goalie at 6 feet and 200 pounds.
“Since my height isn’t the greatest compared to other goalies, my reaction time has to be quicker,” Weglarz said. “The good thing is that last year I was able to show off and prove myself.”
Especially in the tensest moments.
As for girls’ water polo, watch out for the Gulliver Prep Raiders, who have won five state titles, but none since 2013.
This season, Raiders coach Carroll Vaughan will rely on senior Gabby Montalvo, who has represented Puerto Rico’s Junior National Team and recently signed with Brown University.
“Opponents need two or three players to cover her,” Vaughan said.
Senior Georgia Pascual is another Gulliver standout, especially on defense, where the Raiders allowed only two goals all season when she was covering. She is the sister of Stanford water polo player Alissa Pascual.
Gulliver’s goalie is seventh-grader Sofia Beltran, a second-year starter who has played with the USA Olympic Development squad.
The Raiders lost standout
eighth-grader Isabella Ten-Have to an ACL injury in soccer. She’s out for the season. But sophomore Kathleen Serig, a strong shooter who has also worked with the USA team, should have more opportunities.
THIS AND THAT
Gulliver’s boys’ team is powered by Daniel Preston, who is on England’s Under-19 Junior National Team. The senior attacker led Gulliver in goals last season.
The Raiders also have senior center Harry Sharma, who is a talented defender; and Gabe LewisKeister, a junior from California who has grown from
5-10 to 6-3 over the past year.
The Aquinas boys team, which went 23-5 last season, is led by seniors Sam Collingwood and Nicholas Santarsiero. Aquinas has also added six talented freshmen.
South Broward’s girls’ team is led by junior team captain Sydney Mazor. She was her team’s Defensive MVP last year, and she’s also a strong shooter. Overall, though, it could be a rebuilding year with just four returning players.
South Broward’s boys’ team is led by sophomore Shane Whitaker. He is the third Whitaker brother to play water polo for South Broward.
Miami Country Day has a young boys’ team led by two freshmen: Evan Miller and Leonardo
Blaya. Miller is coming back from double shoulder surgery. Blaya is a defensive pest.
Miami Country Day’s girls’ team will be led by two seniors: goalie Sophia Guarini (173 saves, 37 steals) and Tatiana Blasky (28 goals, 26 assists).
Goleman’s boys went 6-5 last season and finished third in its district. The Gators will be led by junior goalie Angel Bermudez as well as senior wingers Everaldo Daniel and Daniel Marola.