Holechek Leads Quest for CIF Repeat

Junior Jessie Holechek loads up for a shot against Godinez, Jan 27. She scored two goals, had two assists and three steals in Laguna’s 21-4 home victory. Photo by Robert Campbell Most kids who grow up in Laguna Beach spend a great deal of time in and around the water. Perhaps none more so than Jessica Holechek. “I’m definitely a water person,” said the leading scorer on Laguna Beach High School’s water polo team. “My birthday’s on the cusp of Aquarius and Pisces, so I’m just born to be either a fish or in the water.”

Throughout her growing up, Holechek has shared her love of the water with her hometown, devoting six years to the Junior Lifeguard program, teaching community swimming classes, and coaching age-group water polo.

She joined the city’s youth water polo program when she was eight and quickly began to display her natural talents for the sport. “I remember watching Jessie play when she was 10 or 11 years old and thinking then that she was going to be a great player,” said her high school water polo coach Ethan Damato.

In sixth grade, she gave up soccer to concentrate solely on water polo, a choice made by many of her friends. Together they grew up in the sport and now form the nucleus of the Breakers’ top-ranked division II varsity squad, favored to win its second straight CIF title. “Because we’re all friends, we play better as a team,” said Holechek.

Last year Holechek was the team’s fifth leading scorer. Three of the four girls ahead of her have since graduated, leaving a large hole in an offense that set a school record for goals scored in a season. “I think every one on the team has really stepped up and filled those positions,” she said.

By spreading the scoring around and playing solid defense, Holechek and her teammates find ways to win. Through the first 19 matches, the Breakers were 15-4, led by Holechek’s team high 39 goals and 28 steals. She was also tied with Lexie Ross for team lead in assists with 18. “Jessie for us can do a little bit of everything,” said Damato. “She plays the game with poise and confidence, and I have all the trust in the world when the ball is in her hands.”

The Stanford-bound Ross, the team’s only senior, draws extra attention from opposing defenses this year, which has opened up more opportunities for the Breakers’ other scorers. Five other girls have totaled 10 or more goals and or steals this season. “On any given day any one of them can hurt you,” said Damato.

Holechek followed a stellar freshman season, in which she played in all 34 games and racked up 64 goals, 34 assists and 54 steals, with an equally impressive sophomore campaign, in which she earned first team allleague and second team all-CIF honors.

She has scored at least one goal in all but one game in which she has played this year, including a career high five against Mater Dei in the season opener. Last Friday, in a match that pitted the top two teams in CIF division II, Holechek scored four goals to lead the Breakers in a 10-5 rout of the Sea Queens in Palos Verdes.

Holechek credits last year’s senior leadership with helping her and her teammates develop their games. “They were definitely like mother figures on our team last year,” she said.

Now a junior on a young team, Holechek has become a leader in her own right. Damato counts among her strengths “her ability to lead and her desire to be a good team mate. She would do anything if she thought it would help the team,” he said.