San Marcos falls to Mater Dei in CIF SoCal D1 Championship in Chuckie Roth’s final game
Mike Klan
LONG BEACH, Calif. (KEYT) – Tears quickly turned into smiles as the San Marcos High School girls water polo team posed for a picture with the CIF-SoCal Division 1 runner-up plaque.
The Royals had a fantastic season even though it ended in a 11-7 loss to Mater Dei in the regional finals.
It was a season to remember for head coach Brian “Chuckie” Roth who is stepping down from the program after more than 20 years in which he built the Royals into a Southern California power.
“This was a phenomenal season to be honest with you,” began Roth. “If you would have asked me if we would be here right now back in November I would have said that would be a big stretch. These kids bought in, we figured some things that worked for everybody and yeah this is a season that I will never forget.”
Two of the biggest reasons for the Royals success was the offensive brilliance of USC-bound Charlotte Raisin and the play in goal by Harvard-bound senior Bethany King.
Raisin scored a team-high 4 goals in this championship game while King kept the high-powered Monarchs offense under control with 10 blocks.
King is a field player turned goalie out of necessity for her team and she developed into a real asset in the cage for San Marcos.
“Probably one of the most amazing athletes I have ever coached,” said Roth of King. “People say we don’t have a goalie and I think they are mistaken, we do have a goalie, she is very good, she just happens to be a very good field player too.”
The Royals never led in this game but it was close throughout with Mater Dei leading 3-2 after one quarter and 5-3 at halftime.
Raisin scored two third quarter goals but the Royals still trailed 8-5 heading into the fourth quarter.
Sophomore Ella Grube cut the deficit to 8-6 with 4:15 to play but San Marcos would get no closer as Delaney Cook scored consecutive goals for Mater Dei to push the lead to four goals.
Mater Dei ends the year 30-3 and got outstanding play from goalie Sienna Sorensen who set the tone early by stopping two first quarter penalty shots by San Marcos.
The Royals finish 28-8 and along the way they won a Channel League championship, had a top four finish in the CIF-Southern Section Open Division and now runner-up in the CIF-SoCal Regional Division 1 Championship.
“We improved so much and had so many milestone wins along the way, my heart is full, I am content and proud of the kids,” said Chuckie Roth who will still coach swimming at San Marcos, assist with the boys water polo team and teach PE.