CSM's great Scott

Turns out mom knew what she was talking about. Today, Scott is one of the best junior college players in California. With a cannon for an arm, the determination of a bull and an attitude to match, the College of San Mateo super sophomore has already scored 28 goals in five games this season, including eight in a 13-9 loss to Cabrillo on Wednesday. Scott ranks second in the state in goals scored after finishing 10th last year. Scott plays a number of positions, but she considers herself more of a driver, the perimeter player in the pool.

"I like to shoot from seven-meters or off a foul," she said. "I like to turn the opponent, muscle them out of the way and try to score."

No one has been able to stop Scott so far. She scored eight goals in the Bulldogs' 19-9 win over American River last week, and has scored at least two goals in every game this year. Scott uses her muscle to unleash such precise and penetrating shots that opposing goalies are often caught off-guard when a ball goes flying by them. She played four years of water polo and three years of softball at Aragon. Softball was her No. 1 love growing up, the first sport she took up at age 8, but Scott has taken to water polo knowing that she has the ability to play for a Division I program. Whether she gets a scholarship or not is still up in the air; Bulldogs coach Randy Wright said his star captain certainly is good enough.

"I truly believe she has the best arm in the state," Wright said. "Her strengths across the board are so high. She has good speed, is a workhorse and she won't be denied."

It's that inner fire that has allowed Scott to excel in the pool. Like most water polo players, she never took up the sport until high school. After enduring some rough waters - literally and figuratively - in the first month, she started to excel.

Sports have always come naturally for Scott, whose mom, Kathleen, and dad, Roy, both played three sports in high school.

"It seems like any sport I've tried, I've done well at," Scott said. "I love sports because it keeps you active and competitive."

Scott considered going to Foothill College in Los Altos out of Aragon, but realized CSM's hilltop campus, which is only five minutes away from her home, was a better option. Plus, Wright has the CSM women's water polo program, now in its third-year, heading in the right direction. With a positive attitude who exudes a vibrant energy, Wright has the Bulldogs playing at a level that few thought would be possible in such a short amount of time.

Wright won a national championship playing with the UCLA team and his brother was a member of the 2004 U.S. Olympic team in Athens. Wright also spent years coaching in Southern California, water polo's cradle of life.

"Randy has been great for everyone," Scott said. "He's helped me out a lot with my development and made me a faster and better player."

A second-team, Northern California selection a year ago, Scott hopes to land at Sonoma State. She works as a lifeguard at Burlingame High School, and she hopes to either be a sports therapist or teacher once she graduates. For now, Scott's mom and Wright are moving heaven and earth to get the word out that there's a pretty good player at CSM.

"They're both talking to and e-mailing a lot of coaches and letting them know what I'm doing," Scott said. "I'm doing everything I can to earn a scholarship, and it's huge goal of mine. I have to show I'm the best."