Shinnick is water polo MVP

The Ramona High School girls water polo post-season banquet at the Strohson residence saw senior Taylor Shinnick named as the team’s most valuable player.

Varsity awards were also given to junior Angelina Uriostegui as the team’s best offensive player, senior goalie Shenoa Wilcox as the team’s best defensive player, and senior Sierra Strohson as the Coaches’ Award recipient.

“It was a really good banquet,” said Ramona varsity coach Donnie Williams.

Shinnick was the team’s only returning starter from the 2008-09 season.

“The whole mindset of this team evolved from Taylor’s positive attitude,” Williams said.

Shinnick led the effort to put together packages for the new team members.

“I think that just tightened up the group itself,” Williams said.

Shinnick, who is also on Ramona High School’s swim team, will likely participate in club aquatics in college. She has not yet made her college choice but is considering the University of California Davis, which currently has aquatic sports but may drop those sports due to budget considerations.

Wilcox did not play water polo as a junior, and as a freshman and sophomore she split time between the goalie position and the field, so the 2009-10 season was her first as a full-time goalkeeper as well as her first on the varsity squad.

“Through the season she got better,” Williams said. “I thought it was just a great job on her part.”

Wilcox plans to attend the University of California’s Berkeley campus, although she does not plan to play water polo.

Williams noted that Uriostegui had both a strong shot and the prudence to distribute the ball to other offensive players.

Williams expects Uriostegui to be the team leader during the 2010-11 season, when she will be a senior.

Strohson plans to spend the 2010-11 academic year at Northern Arizona University.

“She really just stepped up the whole time. She’s one of those players who kept working hard,” Williams said.

The banquet also saw the presentation of three junior varsity awards. Sophomore Bianca Virgilio was the junior varsity’s most valuable player, freshman Rachel Hogervorst was selected as the best offensive player, and freshman Tiffany Larson took home the best defensive player award.