Thursday is “Senior Day” for the Vintage High School girls water polo team, which has already locked up a spot in the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Division I playoffs.

It’s a chance to honor the Crushers’ lone senior, Katrina Husted, and thank her for all she has done for Vintage water polo over the last four years.

“It’s my last league game, it’s my last home game,” Husted said Monday, looking ahead to tomorrow’s Big Game against Napa High. It’s a 3:30 p.m. start at the Vintage Aquatic Complex.

“I’ve contributed my entire high school career to this program — a lot of blood, sweat and tears,” said Husted. “I showed up for water polo my freshman year and I was the only freshman.”

Husted, a utility player who was the Monticello Empire League MVP and All-Sac-Joaquin Section Second-Team in 2008, has been a leader over the years for the Crushers (19-7 overall, 5-0 MEL), who are chasing after a fourth straight league title.

Coach Julian Szmidt said Husted, a Central California Junior team member in 2008, is like an assistant coach in the pool.

“She’s a very smart young woman who knows what she needs to do and when she needs to do it, and has raised the level of play of the entire team,” Szmidt said. “It’s tough to see someone who has been this significant a part of the team leave.”

Husted is being recruited by six schools including Cal State Northridge, UC Davis and Long Beach State. She said there’s some pressure to lead, but added it’s a two-way street.

“I can learn just as much from them as they learn from me definitely,” said Husted. “It definitely gives me a confidence and a control knowing what I’m doing by now.”

Husted is part of a winning team.

“They’re playing very well,” said Szmidt. “They’re a wonderful group of girls to coach — and we knew that after our retreat.”

The Crushers set personal and team goals during a weekend trip to South Lake Tahoe in August. There were team-bonding activities built into the getaway, which featured an excursion to Angora Lakes for canoeing, kayaking and hiking.

“They all decided at that point that they were going to support each other,” said Szmidt. “They have done an excellent job of that.”

Vintage, one of three teams from the MEL that will advance to the playoffs, has very good team speed and prides itself on defense.

“We trust each other,” said Lexi Baldwin, a center-defender. “We make sure that we shut teams down on defense.”

The 16-team playoffs start Nov. 6.

Corinne Schafle said everyone has a trust and a solid work ethic.

“We’ve got a really good team this year,” said Schafle.

“We know if we make a bad pass, we can bounce back and we can really return to the game.”