Nothing energizes a team like the addition of an electrifying new talent or a player who steps their game up from the previous season. The following ten players emerged throughout the 2012 season to help their teams a great deal:

BOYS
Billy Barth (St Ignatius)
The Wolfpack freshman made an immediate impact, picking up where his brother Kevin left off after graduating in 2011. SICP has a bright future to look forward to with Barth looking to make an even bigger contribution for the next three years.

Danny Stauder (Loyola)
Stauder recovered from injuries early in his water polo career to bolster the Ramblers' attack this season, as he increased his scoring contribution from 9 to 60 goals for the state's second-place finishers.

Kevin Tunney (Sandburg)
Tunney quickly became a force for the Sandburg offense, so much so that he was named a Player To Watch twice in the same year. Opponents should have paid attention, as he helped the Eagles hoist a third-place trophy at the end of the season.

Marty Faleni (Schaumburg)
Faleni stepped into the Saxons' goal to ensure the team didn't miss a beat after losing several starters from last year's state-qualifying squad. He nearly helped them make a surprising return to state, only falling short in the sectional finals to Fremd. Still, Faleni kept the Vikings scoreless in the opening quarter of a 6-2 loss in the sectional title game after allowing only two goals in an 8-2 semifinal win over Conant in the semifinal round.

Sean McMahon (Lyons)
McMahon ensured that there was no weakness in the Lions' starting lineup to exploit; he also scored two critical goals in the team's 12-11 semifinal win over Sandburg. He will likely be a key player in the team's first-ever title defense next season.


GIRLS
Alexana Astor (New Trier)
Astor made a smooth transition to the Varsity level for the Trevians, becoming one of the leading scorers for the Glenbrook South Sectional winners. If she continues to improve her game, New Trier could be looking at a return trip to state in 2013.

Annamarie Lettiere (Andrew)
Lettiere jumped right into the T-Bolts starting lineup and provided the T-Bolts with solid production on both ends of the pool. She will likely be asked to the same and then some for Mike Kuziel's team during her senior campaign.

Jessica Davis (Conant)
The Cougars' shotstopper was instrumental in the team's Top 25 finish in 2012. Davis racked up double-digit saves in nearly all of Conant's 21 wins, culminating in a 25-save performance in a 6-5 sectional quarterfinal victory over Hersey.

Lauren Gunn (Naperville Central)
The Redhawks' senior quietly racked up the third-highest goal total for the state's second-place finishers. That's no small feat when you consider their top two scorers are headed for Arizona St and Michigan next year.

Marta Considine (Loyola)
Considine quickly emerged as a scoring threat for the Ramblers early in the season, then showed no scoring fatigue as the season wore on. She should be a force for the next two years for head coach Rich Schici's squad.