LONG BEACH – Lillian La Raia and Francesca McNeil were instrumental in Cathedral Catholic completing one of the most significant turnarounds in California prep girls water polo history this season.
Fortunately for the top-seeded Dons, their careers are only getting started, which could result in more opportunities in the spotlight for two of the state’s top freshmen.
McNeil scored a match-high six goals and La Raia established a finals record with 12 assists to lead Cathedral Catholic to a 20-5 victory against No. 2 Birmingham High in the Southern California Division 3 regional championship match at Long Beach City College.
Cathedral Catholic (28-4) captured its first regional crown after suffering an 8-7 loss against San Clemente in the Division 2 regional final in 2020.
Cathedral Catholic girls water polo team | Erik Boal photo
The Dons amassed more postseason victories this year than they did wins all of last season in accumulating a 5-20 record, winning a combined six matches in a 15-day span in the CIF-San Diego Section Division 2 playoffs, along with the regional tournament.
Cathedral Catholic had previously won the Division 2 regional boys water polo crown in 2022.
La Raia, who also contributed a goal for Cathedral Catholic, produced the most assists by any girls water polo competitor in a regional championship match in any division since the event began in 2018.
The Dons also achieved the second-highest output in a regional final, trailing only the 23 goals scored in last year’s Division 3 championship match by Mount Carmel.
Cathedral Catholic built a 5-0 lead in the opening quarter, before Jocelyn Cruz broke through for Birmingham (20-10), which reached the Division 3 regional final for the first time since 2020.
The Dons responded with another five unanswered goals and held a 10-3 advantage at halftime.
Hailey Romano, a Santa Clara-bound standout, contributed four goals, two steals and an assist, with fellow senior Amalia Stehly producing a pair of goals for Cathedral Catholic, which held the Patriots scoreless in the third quarter to extend the lead to 14-3.
Madelyne Otero also added four goals, with fellow junior Lindsay Zimmer scoring twice and ninth-grader Ella Meathe contributing a goal for the Dons, who received a combined seven saves from freshman Ainsley Grosz and junior Lily Dant in the cage.
Cathedral Catholic allowed five goals or fewer in all six postseason victories, including an 8-2 triumph Feb. 22 against Mission Bay in the San Diego Section Division 2 championship match at Coggan Family Aquatic Complex.
The Dons continued their momentum by knocking off Southern Section Division 6 winner Anaheim by a 16-3 margin in the opening round of the Division 3 regional playoffs, followed by a 16-5 victory against L.A. City Section Open Division runner-up Palisades in the regional semifinals.
La Raia had 11 assists Saturday against Birmingham before finally scoring a goal of her own with 3:40 remaining in the contest.
The freshman created an opportunity for a shot in front of the cage for Stehly 30 seconds later to produce her record 12th assist for the Dons, who won their final nine matches following a 12-6 setback Feb. 1 against Division 2 regional finalist Valhalla.
Katherine Chajan, who had two goals, scored on a 5-meter penalty shot in the fourth quarter for Birmingham, the L.A. City Section Open Division, which knocked off rival Granada Hills, as well as Santa Paula, to reach the regional final.
Cruz also scored twice for the Patriots, with freshman Alejandra Barragan adding a goal and Hazel Portillo finishing with five saves for Birmingham, which was looking to become the first L.A. City Section girls water polo program to win a regional crown after Palisades captured back-to-back Division 3 boys water polo regional championships in 2021-22.