Locals earn water polo honors

Nine Laguna Beach athletes have been named Junior Olympics All-American in water polo.

The players named to the All-American team for 2006 was revealed by usawaterpolo.org this week.

Only a few athletes were named All-American from the thousands of players from Southern California who competed at the 2006 S & R Sports National Junior Olympics held this summer.

In the Boys’ U12 Division, Nolan McConnell and Eric Henrikson were named first team. Selected as first team “Spares” were Dylan Payne and Nicky Brunner.

“The kids that were listed in the All-American group had outstanding games,” Laguna Beach Age Group Water Polo Coach Chad Beeler said. “I think Nolan McConnell was the best player in the whole tournament and used everything he had to make it to the finals at the Junior Olympics. Erik Henrikson definitely showed his talent as a goalie and made unbelievable blocks to keep us in each game of the tournament. I hope to see even better things from Erik as he gains more experience in the future.

“Dylan Payne is a fantastic swimmer with lots of stamina and a great outside shot, and he used it to his advantage, making him one of the best players in his age group. Nicky Brunner has always understood what it would take to be a great water polo player, he worked hard on his swimming and in gaining the understanding of water polo and his teammates. Nicky has a great lob shot and knew when to use it to make the defense respect him as an offensive threat.

“I thought all the boys on the team deserved to be on the first team All-American list. I don’t want to forget the great efforts made by Robert Clemmons. Camron Hauer and Riley Browne, who are very smart players who contributed in many ways on offense and defense to make us the team we are, which was a well-respected city program team.”

In the girls’ U12 Division, Isabelle Comtois was named first team spare and Katherine Palaeologus was an honorable mention pick.

In the girls’ U14 Division, both Jessica Shusko and Melina Masson were named honorable mention. Two other Laguna athletes, Lauren Colton and Erin Reed, were named honorable mention in Girls’ 16U and 18U, respectively.

“Isabelle Comtois from North Irvine, and Katherine Palaeologus from Los Alamitos, joined my team to make one team because their team and my team did not have enough girls to make separate teams. I think they played well and I will respect them as players for as long as I get to see them play.

“Jessica Shusko and Melina Masson had great games in the tournament and would have been able to get first or second team, if we had placed better in the tournament.”

In other youth water polo news, Annika Dries, a sophomore at Laguna Beach High, was selected to play this summer on the U.S. Youth National team. The squad competed in August at the Junior Nationals in Montreal and defeated host Canada in the Gold medal match.

“She had a phenomenal summer,” Laguna Beach High girls’ water polo coach Rick McKee said of Dries, who missed participating at the Junior Olympics to play in the Junior Nationals.