EAGLES ROOKIE LEADS WAY

Santa Fe Christian senior Gisselle Fenby decided to play girls water polo for the first time this season and ended up contributing to a championship team.

With the help of a goal and key assist from Fenby, the second-seeded Eagles edged Monte Vista 7-6 for the San Diego Section Division III crown in the first final for both schools at La Jolla High on

Saturday.

“This means a lot,” Fenby said. “I wanted to try it out, and I really liked it. I’ve always been pretty competitive. This is a great team.”

Freshman Revere Schmidt had three goals to lead Santa Fe Christian (23-6), which recorded the only three goals of the second quarter for a 4-1 halftime lead.

“It was just teamwork and positivity,” Schmidt said. “We all knew that we could do it, and we pulled it off well.”

Off an assist from Fenby, Mylin Bennett scored her second goal to give the Eagles a 7-5 edge with 5:11 to go.

The No. 1 Monarchs (20-7) closed with a goal when Kay Kowalewski recorded her third score with 3:06 left, but they subsequently got no other shots on goal.

First-year coach David Bennett guided SFC, which lost in the quarterfinals last year as the eighth seed.

Monte Vista fell despite nine saves by goalie Isabella Gaddie.

DENIS POROY PHOTOS Santa Fe Christian players celebrate their San Diego Section Division III water polo title by tossing coach David Bennett into the pool Saturday at La Jolla.

Santa Fe Christian’s Gisselle Fenby (right) contributed a crucial goal and assist in the Eagles’ win.