This year, Enumclaw boys water polo coaches Ken DeMan and Bob Averill are consolidating. Rather than put a bunch of games on the calendar, the pair are taking the Hornets on the road for a couple of big tournaments.

On the bill will be the Auburn tournament in September and an Oregon trip to Tualatin Hills for a Best of the West challenge.

The team is already familiar with being on the road. With the Enumclaw pool closed for the first two weeks of practice, the Hornets have been turning out at the Sumner pool.

The Hornets, who finished third at state in 2010, will host six home games starting at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday against Wilson.

With the loss of all-state, second-team members Garrett Hall and Travis Culp and all-state honorable mention Zach Petersen, EHS has some holes to fill.

But, returning juniors Will Cooper, Bennon VanHoof and Thomas Petersen are a good start.

Perhaps the biggest hole the Hornets will have to fill is that vacated by graduating, all-state first-team goalie Josh Musick, who is helping the team as an assistant coach.

Averill and DeMan call their search for someone to fill that position “the experimental and mad-scientist stage,” and will use the team’s two nonleague contests and jamboree to eye candidates.