Milford’s varsity girls water polo team achieved the status of finishing fourth in the Ohio state girls water polo tournament. The state final four showdown took place at Mason High School.

The E-Gals registered a respectable 19-17 record that included the championship of the South Regional Tournament.

“We had good senior leadership. Ten of the 15 girls were seniors,” said Gary Tameris, coach of the Red and White.

“This was an injury-ridden team throughout the season. We had shoulder injuries, back injuries, knee injuries, and broken noses. But I’m very proud of them. They stuck with it and they never gave up. They beat the number-one and number-two seeds in the regional tournament.”

Senior Katy D’Errico was the leading scorer for the Clermont countians. Megan Peirce and Lee Ellen Casto were right behind D’Errico in the scoring statistics. Each is a twelfth grader.

On the defensive side of the ledger, Tameris lauded the performance of senior goalkeeper Shannon Majoras. He noted junior field player Christy Lanman was always assigned the task of defending against the opposition’s “best offensive player.” Senior field players Caitlin Brown and Mel Smith were also applauded for their fine defensive efforts.

The E-Gals earned their gold in the South Regional Tournament by winning three contests.

Milford, seeded third, began tourney action with a 14-11 victory over fifth-seed Princeton’s Vikings. D’Errico poured in seven goals, Casto five, and Smith and Julie Brown one each.

The number-two seed Sycamore Aviators were sunk by the Red and White by a 12-4 tally.

Casto powered the offensive attack with four goals, D’Errico had two, and Pierce, Smith, Brown, and Lanman each contributed one goal.

The championship game was an upset victory over number-one seed Upper Arlington Golden Bears 12-11 in overtime/sudden death.

D’Errico spearheaded the Milford attack with seven goals scored, Brown, Casto, Lanman, Pierce, and Smith each added one goal.

The regional crown earned the Clermont countians the south region’s first seed.

Milford’s first contest was a heartbreaking 14-13 setback to Thomas Worthington’s Cardinals, the north region’s number-two seed. D’Errico was in the forefront of Milford’s offense by netting six goals, Casto made three, Pierce two, and Lanman and Smith one each.

Worthington Kilbourne’s Wolves, the number-one seed of the north region, dropped the E-Gals in the battle for third and fourth places, 9-4. Accounting for the Red and White’s goals were D’Errico with two, and Casto and Kara Magoteaux each tossing in one.

D’Errico led the Milford scoring barrage for the season by netting 138 goals, Casto made 50, Pierce 38, Smith 38, Lanman 20, Magoteaux 14, Caitlin Brown 13, McLain 13, Julie Brown three, Allison Burtoft two, Heather Tissot two, Sarah Frank one, and Gwen Storch one.

The most accurate shooter at the enemy goal was Casto who made 52-percent of her shots, D’Errico made 51-percent for those who made 50 or more tries and Julie Brown made 75-percent of she efforts for those shooting less the 50 shots.

Casto led the Red and White with 38 assists, D’Errico had 31, Lanman 28, Pierce 23, Smith 20, Caitlin Brown 14, Majoras 14, McLain 13, and Magoteaux 10.

The defensive leaders by stealing the most of the opposition’s passes and loose balls were D’Errico with 67 steals, Smith with 65, Lanman 60, Casto 49, Pierce 45, McLain 40, Caitlin Brown 26, Majoras 23, and Magoteaux 10.

Blocking the most of the adversary’s shot attempts were Majoras with 300 and Tissot with 62.