Clark girls water polo is making program history, diving headfirst into their first-ever UIL state tournament appearance this Friday, but the road there runs straight through the undefeated Lewisville Hebron Hawks. It’s a huge moment for a 26-3 Clark squad facing a perfect 26-0 Hebron team in the state semifinal at 10 a.m. at Josh Davis Natatorium, and believe it, the nerves are buzzing.
Years in the Making: Clark’s Unstoppable Rise
This isn’t just some flash in the pan. We are talking “years in the making,” according to Colette Dreher, who followed her older sister Lilly’s path into club water polo. Now, Colette’s reached the state tournament level that Lilly, a former Clark captain, only dreamt of. That’s a story right there! Clark assistant coach Rebecca Halliburton isn’t just talking, either. She’s seen the team transform, saying, “We have a lot more chemistry now. We’re really playing to our strengths.” That chemistry is going to be tested big time. This is a rematch from a mid-August tournament where Hebron took an 11-4 victory. But junior Ali Maldonado said Clark was “just trying to get the groove of everything” back then, still “trying to figure out who we were as players and trying to figure out the team and trying to figure out each other.” That ain’t this team. This Clark squad has an identity, and they are prepared.
The Trio That Gets It Done
You wanna talk about playmakers? This Clark team is stacked, led by a critical trio. Ali Maldonado is an absolute scoring machine, dropping 113 goals this season. Colette Dreher, with 54 assists, is the team’s main facilitator, and she’s not afraid to get gritty, saying, “It’s my job as the third component to be the defender on their best player. Just kind of stick to them the whole game.” And then there’s freshman defender Maddie Halliburton. Yeah, a *freshman* already leading the team with 116 steals this season. She’s got “a lot of nerves” for Friday, but honestly, she’s “really excited that we got all this far.” She’s got reason to be excited. Halliburton was the clutch hero in the regional final last weekend, scoring a team-high seven goals, including the game winner at the 2:35 mark in the final period, to take down Harlan 14-13 and punch their ticket to state. That kind of battle-tested win only brings a team closer, Dreher believes.
Friday’s semifinal against Hebron is everything. The winner advances to face either Clute Brazoswood or Richmond Foster in the state title match Saturday morning. Clark is ready to show everyone how far they’ve come.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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