The Hoover High girls’ water polo team continued its incredible season with a momentous win on Thursday.
The Tornados, making their first-ever appearance in the postseason, defeated Warren High, 17-4, in the first round of the CIF Southern Section Division 4 playoffs.
Candela Roman Capdevila, a senior co-captain, led the Tornados with a game-high five goals and four steals.
She’ll try to continue Hoover’s historic season when the Tornados take on Ramona High on Tuesday. Ramona, the champions of the River Valley League, defeated Montclair, 9-2, on Thursday. The winner of the Hoover-Ramona match will play in the quarterfinals on Friday.
From the opening quarter on Thursday’s first round, Hoover came out aggressive, catching their opponents off guard while maintaining constant pressure on both defense and offense. This intensity allowed the team to control the momentum throughout the game and ultimately secure the win.
The historic playoff berth marked a milestone for the program, which entered the CIF Southern Section Division IV bracket as the fourth seed from the Pacific League, earning the opportunity to host Warren on its home pool.
Coach Domenico Ponziano set an impressive tempo, emphasizing communication and smart decision-making in the water.
“What impressed me today was our aggressiveness in passing. I call it Slavic pressing,” Ponziano said. “It doesn’t let the offensive player pass with ease. They’re always under pressure. All of my former coaches from Croatia and Serbia coached aggressively, and this is a technique I’m now passing on to my own team.”
By the end of the first quarter, Hoover held a 2–0 lead. The team continued to build confidence and momentum, entering halftime with an 8–2 advantage over Warren.
Senior Jaelynn Romano – who had four goals, two assists and one steal — described the playoff win as a major turning point for the program.
“We were known as the underdogs before this year,” Romano said. “We proved that wrong this season by becoming more of a threat to our opponents. We’ve completely broken three records this year by competing in CIF, beating CV, and placing in the top four.”
Senior goalkeeper Nyah Bankins credited communication and focus as essential factors in the matchup, especially during critical moments.
“Sometimes it’s hard to communicate when you have coaches, crowds, and players all yelling,” Bankins said. “But my job is to make sure my team hears me and we make the right calls. My teammates can’t always see everything in the water, but I can, so I have to alert them at all times. It shows that we have each other’s backs.”
