2022 St. Francis Varsity Water Polo News

  • Benavidez earns spot at USAWP ODP Nationals
    February 07, 2023
    SACRAMENTO, Calif. – St. Francis sophomore Abigail Benavidez was selected to the Central California Zone Cadet B squad at the USA Water Polo ODP National Championships in March, thanks to her performance at an evaluation event at Soquel High School last weekend.
  • Hawkins joins Troubies as head water polo coach
    February 01, 2023
    SACRAMENTO, Calif. – A veteran of prep, club and USA Water Polo Central California Zone coaching, Gabrielle “Gaby” Hawkins joins the St. Francis Catholic High School family as its new head water polo coach, Troubadours athletics director Ryan Chisolm announced. Hawkins will begin her appointment in July.
  • Four Troubies earn All-SJS for water polo
    November 28, 2022
    SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Senior Gauri Mathrakott earned a spot on the All-Sac-Joaquin Section Division II first team, while St. Francis High teammates LK Holliday, Ava Stimson and Sophia Santsche-Chavez made the second team, as voted by a group of coaches from the CIF-SJS earlier in November.
  • Han-Wei, Worthen lead Troubies on Delta League fall honor roll
    November 22, 2022
    SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Freshman Arden Han-Wei captured Player of the Year for golf while first-year cross country mentor Chad Worthen captured Coach of the Year distinction, as the Delta League rolled out its 2022 fall sports awards Monday. These awards arrived in a season that also saw tennis players Aniyus Pierre and Chloe Garcia capture the league doubles championship.
  • An unlikely combo: L.K. Holliday
    November 07, 2022
    Despite the tired and recurring joke, no, the sport of water polo has nothing to do with horses. While most water polo players have likely heard some version of that turn of phrase, few people have mastered the difference between the aquatic and the equine like St. Francis senior Laura “L.K.” Holliday, who completed her prep career on the Troubadours water polo team, and is about to sign her National Letter of Intent to complete for the equestrian program at nearby UC Davis.
  • Troubie water polo's playoff run ends at El Cap
    November 03, 2022
    MERCED, Calif. – Seniors LK Holliday and Gauri Mathrakott each scored two goals but El Capitan converted all three of its 6-on-5 chances in the third quarter to halt St. Francis, 8-7, in the second round of the Sac-Joaquin Section Division II water polo tournament Thursday.
  • Troubies blast Falcons to advance in section playoffs
    November 01, 2022
    CARMICHAEL, Calif. – Senior center Ava Stimson scored six first-half goals while fellow senior Gauri Mathrakott amassed totals of five goals, five assists and six steals to lead fifth-seeded St. Francis to a 21-4 win over No. 12 seed Atwater in a Sac-Joaquin Section Division II girls’ water polo playoff first-round contest at Jesuit High Tuesday.
  • Benavidez earns USAWP academic honors
    October 27, 2022
    SACRAMENTO, Calif. – St. Francis sophomore Abigail Benavidez earned 2021-22 USA Water Polo Academic All-America honors, as announced by that governing body in October. The list of winners was released in SkipShot magazine, and posted to the USAWP website.
  • Water polo closes regular season in Davis
    October 25, 2022
    DAVIS, Calif. – Ava Stimson, Gauri Mathrakott and Miranda Ferguson each netted goals but St. Francis found itself on the losing end of a 14-3 contest in a Delta League and regular-season girls’ water polo finale against Davis at UC Davis’ Schaal Aquatics Center Tuesday night.
  • Water polo places seventh in Napa
    October 22, 2022
    NAPA, Calif. – St. Francis varsity water polo split its Saturday schedule at the Julian Szmidt Memorial Tournament, falling to Northgate by a 7-3 final before dispatching area rival Christian Brothers, 11-1, in the seventh-place game.
  • Water polo splits Day 1 of Szmidt tourney
    October 21, 2022
    NAPA, Calif. – St. Francis varsity water polo split its Friday slate of the Julian Szmidt Memorial Tournament, falling 9-5 to Granite Bay in the opener, then blanking Dixon, 12-0, in the nightcap. The Szmidt tourney, named for a long-time aquatics coaching legend from the Napa community, runs for two days at Napa Valley College.
  • Varsity polo edges Bruins in overtime
    October 18, 2022
    EL DORADO, Calif. – Senior utility Gauri Mathrakott scored a team-high five goals, including the game-winner with less than two minutes left in the extra frame, as St. Francis varsity defeated Ponderosa in overtime, 8-7, to kick off a girls’ prep non-league water polo doubleheader at Union Mine High School Tuesday night.
  • Raiders dampen Troubies' Senior Night festivities
    October 11, 2022
    CARMICHAEL, Calif. – Senior Gauri Mathrakott scored two goals while fellow senior LK Holliday led all players with five steals, but St. Francis ended up on the losing end of a 4-3 defensive battle in the varsity half of a girls’ prep water polo doubleheader at Jesuit Pool Tuesday night.
  • Troubies roll past Wildcats in home opener
    October 04, 2022
    CARMICHAEL, Calif. – Sophomore center Abigail Benavidez and senior utility Gauri Mathrakott shot a combined 13-for-13, leading St. Francis to a 20-3 win over Franklin in a Delta League girls’ high school water polo game at Jesuit Pool Tuesday afternoon.
  • Troubies split first day of Grizzly Classic
    October 01, 2022
    SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Senior center Ava Stimson scored a total of eight goals in two games as St. Francis varsity split its Friday schedule of the fifth-annual Grizzly Classic prep girls’ water polo tournament, held at both host Granite Bay High School and American River College.
  • Varsity polo sweeps Day 2 of Grizzly Classic
    October 01, 2022
    SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Senior center Ava Stimson scored five goals while senior utility Gauri Mathrakott added four in each end of a Saturday doubleheader, as St. Francis varsity swept Day 2 of Granite Bay’s Grizzly Classic girls’ water polo tournament. The Troubadours beat Del Campo, 12-2, in the early-morning tilt; then blanked El Camino by a 14-0 final in Saturday’s afternoon matchup.
  • Troubies sweep CB in annual Holy Water rivalry
    September 27, 2022
    SACRAMENTO, Calif. – St. Francis varsity claimed a decisive 13-2 victory in the opener while junior varsity held on to an 8-7 win in the nightcap, as the Troubadours swept Christian Brothers in the annual Holy Water rivalry water polo game, held at Sacramento City College’s Hoos Pool Tuesday night.
  • Troubies wraps action at NorCal Invite
    September 24, 2022
    ROSEVILLE, Calif. – St. Francis surrendered three straight goals early in the fourth quarter against Bella Vista, ultimately falling by a 7-5 final, in the Girls’ NorCal Invite water polo tournament, hosted at Roseville Aquatic Center and Woodcreek High School Friday and Saturday.
  • Troubies storm past Broncos in road water polo win
    September 21, 2022
    FAIR OAKS, Calif. – The trio of senior Gauri Mathrakott, senior Ava Stimson and junior Ashlyn Brock scored 20 of the team’s 21 goals as St. Francis varsity rolled past host Bella Vista, 21-7, in a non-conference girls’ prep water polo game Wednesday evening. 
  • Troubies swept in road water polo doubleheader
    September 13, 2022
    GRANITE BAY, Calif. – Sophomore center Abigail Benavidez scored a hat trick while seniors Gauri Mathrakott and LK Holliday each netted a goal, but St. Francis varsity came up short in a 10-5 loss to Granite Bay in girls’ prep water polo action Tuesday evening.
  • Troubies avenge 2021 playoff loss with win at Oak Ridge
    September 06, 2022
    EL DORADO HILLS, Calif. – Sophomore goalkeeper Sophia Santsche-Chavez posted 13 saves with five steals in her varsity debut in net, while senior Ava Stimson led offensively with four goals, as St. Francis defeated Oak Ridge by a 10-6 final in a season-opening girls’ prep water polo game at El Dorado Hills Community Center Tuesday night.