Marquette’s Neveah Kerber began her final year playing water polo with a heavy heart.
“This season made me especially grateful for having my sister (Alexa) and cousin (Cassidy) as teammates,” Neveah said. “One week before the season, we lost our grandpa, Papa Lou. He was the glue to our family and continuously showed us the power of unconditional love and to live by his motto to ‘go collect experiences.’
“Every time we entered the pool we were there to collect experiences whether positive or negative.”
The Kerbers helped the Mustangs finish the season 24-1. Marquette capped it all off by winning the Missouri Water Polo District Tournament championship with a 14-7 win over Kirkwood.
It was the fourth time Neveah has played in the state title game.
Last year, Marquette won the title by defeating Parkway North 9-5 to complete a 19-0 season. Two years ago, the Mustangs fell 6-4 to Ladue in the final game of a 17-5 season. In Neveah’s freshman campaign, Oakville topped Marquette 11-8 in the championship contest.
Neveah finished her Mustangs career with 347 goals and 114 assists.
Her uncle, Kevin Kerber, introduced her to the sport. He is an assistant coach for the Mustangs.
“I love how water polo includes both physical and mental aspects,” Neveah said. “You have to be able to do so many things at once using your body while also maintaining awareness of where your teammates and the ball are at the same time. Water polo has also brought me the best community of people. I have met my best friends through this sport.”
Neveah found success as a freshman, scoring 37 goals and nine assists for 83 points, but she was still adapting to the sport.
“As a freshman I didn’t really know much about the sport and was really just trying to learn as much as I could,” Neveah said. “Once I commit to something, I want to master it, so freshman year I was very hard on myself for not being the best at the sport.
“Looking back at it, for never playing a game of water polo before that season I think I played pretty well but I knew I had a lot to learn.”
Marquette coach Claire Maniscalco remembers Neveah’s first season.
“She was cautious and supportive. It wasn’t until the state finals when she experienced what was possible if she just let the game come to her and we really saw what was possible for her,” Maniscalco said. “In that loss, she experienced a higher level of fight and grit that really established her foundation these past three years.”
Neveah was determined to become a more skilled athlete and develop in the sport.
She played for two clubs in the offseason and started participating in Olympic Development Program camps. Her work paid off.
The Mustangs broke through last season with an undefeated campaign and won the state crown. Neveah helped achieve that by scoring 93 goals and 17 assists.
“Teams double- and triple-teamed her early last year,” Maniscalco said. “She started the season with undue pressure that she put on herself to have to do everything. We added a freshman last year who developed into a powerful offensive player, allowing her to share that responsibility and focus on defensive development. Midway through last season we saw a change where she relaxed and would just work and let the game come to her and just unfold. When she does that, she is really dominant.”
Neveah was proud to be a part of a championship team.
“Losing back-to-back (championship games) in my first two years made me really hungry for the state title,” Neveah said. “Being the only player in my class, I was the only one to have lost twice, but it really only made me want it for my team so much more.”
The Mustangs lost six seniors from last year’s squad. It could have been a down year.
“I think teams underestimated us going into this season,” Neveah said. “There were only two of our field players that have had real pool time in the sport and two of our starters have never touched a water polo ball until two months ago. I knew that the state title wasn’t out of reach but there was a long road ahead of us to get there.
“Every girl instantly put in the work to get better. After our first few games I think other teams realized we are going to remain a threat. Every single one of my teammates poured so much effort and energy into this season and are so deserving of the state title.”
Her senior season, Neveah scored 123 goals and 50 assists to lead the area in scoring.
That didn’t come by accident.
“I spent countless mornings in the pool at 6 a.m. taking shot after shot,” Neveah said. “Adjusting little things each time until I get the right feel of the ball. Then come game time everything is more muscle memory, and I don’t over think.”
That attitude and work ethic sums up Neveah, Maniscalco said.
“She leads by example and just shows up and puts in the work. She celebrates the success of others and cheers on their hard work as a peer,” Maniscalco said. “It’s helped really set a foundation of approach for a program.”
While she managed to score at an unreal pace, Neveah was asked to play a bigger role on the team by Maniscalco.
“Her defense was shut down. This year, we had two other players who could help carry the offense,” Maniscalco said. “So we assigned her the best player on the other team each game and she would hold them to season lows in scoring.
“We saw a glimpse of that in the championship game last year when she ran the offense through Cassidy and she shut down the scoring from Parkway North with three amazing steals late in the game. She continued that this season and took her defense to a special level.”
Ending the season with a second state championship for the program was a huge accomplishment, Neveah said.
“Being the first team to win back-to-back titles is such a huge accomplishment,” Neveah said. “There is no team more deserving of that title than this year’s team. Together we faced numerous season-altering injuries, illness and loss. No matter what was going on outside the pool, we pushed each other to the max every day and I am so glad that I was able to be back-to-back champions with this team.”
There’s more water polo in her future. Neveah will play Division 1 water polo at Wagner College that’s located in Staten Island, New York.
“I am so excited to broaden my knowledge of the sport at the collegiate level. I am very thankful for the head coach, Josh Hower, for this incredible opportunity,” Neveah said.
While her time as a Mustang is over, Neveah will continue to follow the team’s progress in the future.
“I am definitely going to remain a big fan of the program,” Neveah said. “I look forward to watching my teammates continuous success in and out of the pool. Marquette’s program teaches incomparable discipline and growth. I can’t wait to see what the future holds for the team.”
Maniscalco knows how she will remember Neveah.
“We’ll appreciate the joy and example she set and how she helped establish a successful culture,” Maniscalco said. “The true test will be to continue in her absence.
“She is accomplished in her volunteering, choir, grades and also excels in training horses and being an amazing friend. I think much of her success came from how broad her interests and accomplishments were.”
