TOWAMENCIN- The Rick Carroll Natatorium was packed to full capacity this past weekend as North Penn hosted the Pennsylvania Girls State Water Polo tournament. Winning their 4th consecutive state title, the North Penn girl’s water polo team reached new heights Saturday night.

North Penn came out on top against Cumberland Valley High School securing an 11-5 win against the Eagles. Early in the game, the Knight’s set the tone with a 5-0 lead. The Eagles, however, answered back early in the third quarter cutting the deficit 5-4.

The Knight’s refused to let their opportunity at victory slip away.

“It was a total team effort,” commented senior captain, Maeve Wydan. “They had my back and I had theirs.”

In the second half, the team fought back offensively and scored 6 more goals. Rosalinda Rivera, the Knight’s goalie, fiercely protected the goal.

Reaching the state championship game was no light task. “We worked hard all week and ran through new plays to get ready for the competition,” recalls senior captain and first team all-state player Maddy Koerper.

Their preparation was put to the test in a difficult semi-final game against Governor Mifflin Saturday morning. With hard work and grit, the Knights were able to take away a 7-5 win that led way to the rest of team’s success.  

The team’s victories did not end there. In the athletic history of North Penn, the girl’s became the first team to win 4 consecutive state titles. The seniors were determined to finish their winning streak strong, not just for personal fulfillment, but for someone else.

The Knight’s boys and girls water polo coach Jason Grubb served as a great inspiration in the team’s win.

“We wanted to get the state title for Grubb,” reflected Wydan, who later was recognized for being a first team all state player and co Ms. Water Polo. “He has coached most of us since we were young and helped us to develop into players who could win a championship.”

Grubb’s dedication to his teams was recognized as he was awarded as Coach of the Year.

Looking to next fall, there is confidence that the girls will carry on the legacy. “I think that the upcoming players will work hard and rise up to any challenge” remarked Koerper.