Unofficial Rankings for the Boys' 2024 High School Season

High School - Boys
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Mater Dei 16 Laguna 15 in OT

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Bishop’s 20 Huntington Beach 9

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Congratulations to Foothill for winning the Punahou Invitational and to the tournament organizers for doing an excellent job of promoting the tournament. This week’s action features several very good non-league games: Newport Harbor vs. Foothill, JSerra vs. Oaks Christian, and Cathedral Catholic vs. Loyola. This week’s action also includes the Santa Barbara Invitational and the Roche Invitational. Five of the teams in my Top 20 list will participate in the Santa Barbara Invitational. Corona del Mar and Mira Costa, perhaps two of the top three teams in the tournament, will probably face each other in the quarterfinals.

My unofficial rankings for the week ending August 31 follow below. Rather than make very fine distinctions this early in the season, I have five schools tied for 18th. We should have more clarity in the Top 20 after the South Coast Tournament, which will be held on September 12 through September 14.

Top 20

  1. Newport Harbor (3-0). Newport didn’t play last week. They play Foothill on Thursday.

  2. JSerra (1-0). JSerra didn’t play last week. They play Oaks Christian on Saturday.

  3. Harvard-Westlake (2-0). Last week, Harvard-Westlake beat Crespi 26-1 and Notre Dame 19-7. Harvard-Westlake plays St. Francis on Tuesday.

  4. Sacred Heart Prep (0-0). Sacred Heart didn’t play last week. Their first game is on September 10.

  5. Oaks Christian (1-0). Last week, Oaks Christian beat Calabasas 28-4. Oaks Christian plays JSerra on Saturday.

  6. De La Salle (0-0). De La Salle didn’t play last week. They play California on Tuesday.

  7. Cathedral Catholic (2-0). Last week, Cathedral Catholic beat Poway 16-7 and Mater Dei 14-10. Cathedral Catholic plays Loyola on Friday.

  8. Miramonte (1-0). Last week, Miramonte beat San Ramon Valley 8-2. Miramonte doesn’t play this week.

  9. Corona del Mar (3-0). Last week, Corona del Mar beat Foothill 10-8 and Long Beach Wilson 14-12. This week, Corona del Mar is the No. 1 seed in the Santa Barbara Invitational.

  10. Loyola (0-0). Loyola didn’t play last week. They play Cathedral Catholic on Friday.

  11. Bishop’s (3-1). Last week, Bishop’s beat Carlsbad 18-6 and Huntington Beach 20-9. Bishop’s doesn’t play this week.

  12. Mater Dei (1-2). Last week, Mater Dei beat Laguna Beach 16-15 in overtime and lost to Cathedral Catholic 14-10. This week, Mater Dei plays Beckman on Tuesday and is the No. 2 seed in the Santa Barbara Invitational. I expect Mater Dei to play better after September 17 when sophomore goalie Morgan Crichton, a transfer from Long Beach Wilson, becomes eligible to play. Mater Dei’s second goalie has not played this year and may miss the entire season.

  13. Santa Margarita (2-0). Santa Margarita didn’t play last week. They don’t play this week.

  14. Campolindo (0-0). Campolindo didn’t play last week. They play Berkeley on Wednesday and Santa Cruz on Thursday.

  15. Foothill (4-1). Last week, Foothill lost to Corona del Mar 10-8, beat Punahou 16-6 in a Punahou Invitational showcase game, and won the Punahou Invitational, beating Mid-Pacific 31-5 in the first round, Saint Ignatius 12-5 in the semifinals, and Punahou 11-2 in the finals. Foothill plays Newport Harbor on Thursday.

  16. Mira Costa (1-0). Last week, Mira Costa beat Ventura 12-7. This week, Mira Costa plays Redlands East Valley on Tuesday and is the No. 8 seed in the Santa Barbara Invitational. They should be seeded higher.

  17. Greenwich (0-0). Greenwich didn’t play last week. They play in the Navy Invite on Saturday and Sunday.

(18). Huntington Beach (1-1). Last week, Huntington Beach lost to Bishop’s 20-9. This week, Huntington Beach plays San Clemente on Tuesday and is the No. 7 seed in the Santa Barbara Invitational.

(18). Long Beach Wilson (2-2). Last week, Long Beach Wilson lost to Corona del Mar 14-12, and participated in the Long Beach Varsity Tournament, beating Westlake 15-8 and Servite 16-5. Long Beach Wilson plays Los Alamitos on Thursday.

(18). Bellarmine (0-0). Bellarmine didn’t play last week. This week, Bellarmine is the No. 3 seed in the Santa Barbara Invitational.

(18). Archie Williams (1-0). Last week, Archie Williams beat Menlo 12-9. This week, Archie Williams plays Valley Christian on Wednesday and is the No. 4 seed in the Santa Barbara Invitational.

(18). La Jolla (5-1). La Jolla makes my Top 20 list for the first time this season. Their sophomore class includes at least four potential college players. La Jolla lost to JSerra 13-9 on August 23. Last week, La Jolla participated in the Long Beach Varsity Tournament, beating Beckman 16-5, Servite 19-5, Buena 11-2, San Marcos 12-8, and Crean Lutheran 17-8. This week, La Jolla is the No. 1 seed in the Roche Invitational.

SoCal Top 10

  1. Newport
  2. JSerra
  3. Harvard-Westlake
  4. Oaks Christian
  5. Cathedral Catholic
  6. Corona del Mar
  7. Bishop’s
  8. Loyola
  9. Mater Dei
  10. Santa Margarita

NorCal Top 10

  1. Sacred Heart Prep
  2. De La Salle
  3. Miramonte
  4. Campolindo

(5.) Bellarmine
(5). Archie Williams

  1. Tamalpais (0-0). Last week’s game between Tam and Cardinal Newman was canceled. Tam doesn’t play this week.

  2. Menlo (0-1). Last week, Menlo lost to Archie Williams 12-9. This week, Menlo plays Los Gatos on Monday and is the No. 3 seed in the Roche Invitational.

  3. San Ramon Valley (0-1). Last week, San Ramon Valley lost to Miramonte 8-2. This week, San Ramon Valley is the No. 4 seed in the Roche Invitational.

  4. Too close to call

Top 10 Private Schools

  1. JSerra
  2. Harvard-Westlake
  3. Sacred Heart Prep
  4. Oaks Christian
  5. De La Salle
  6. Cathedral Catholic
  7. Bishop’s
  8. Loyola
  9. Mater Dei
  10. Santa Margarita

Top 10 Public Schools

  1. Newport Harbor
  2. Miramonte
  3. Corona del Mar
  4. Campolindo
  5. Foothill
  6. Mira Costa
  7. Greenwich

(8). Huntington Beach
(8). Long Beach Wilson
(8). Archie Williams
(8). La Jolla

Last week, I offered one point to anyone who could name the CIF Southern Section Open Division (or its equivalent) players who won more than one player or co-player-of-the year award (Award) from the mid-1960s to the present. I offered a bonus point to anyone who told us one water polo related fact these individuals have in common, except for the most recent player to win two Awards.

One point to OCL for correctly telling us that Newport Harbor’s Ben Liechty, Harvard-Westlake’s Ben Hallock, and Long Beach Wilson’s Tony Azevedo won multiple Awards. Liechty and Hallock won the Award twice. Azevedo won three times. Azevedo is a 5x Olympian; Hallock is a 3x Olympian. One point to CaliWaterPolo for correctly telling us that Newport Harbor’s Kevin Robertson and James Bergeson won the Award twice. Robertson is a 3x Olympian; Bergeson is a 1x Olympian. One point to Oldschoolpolofan for correctly telling us that Mater Dei’s Bret Bonanni won the Award twice. Bonanni is a 1x Olympian. One point to CaliWaterPolo for correctly noting that, except for Ben Liechty, the individuals in question are all Olympians. No one mentioned El Segundo’s Bob Saari. He won the Award three times (1963-65). Bob’s older brother, Roy, won the Award twice (1960 and 1961). El Segundo won the Southern Section water polo championships in 1960, 1961, 1963, and 1964.

Just for the heck of it. One point to anyone who can name, without looking it up on the Internet, the Americans who were water polo Olympians before their first year in college. For purposes of this question, the relevant time period is 1964 through 2024. A bonus point to the first person who can tell us which high school’s all-time second team includes a 2x Olympian at goalie (the school’s all-time first-team goalie is a member of the Hall of Fame).

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Pre-College Olympians

2024: Ryder Dodd

2016: Ben Hallock and Thomas Dunstan

2000: Tony Azevedo

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I was there, Harlan was a man among boys. Wilson was up 6-3 midway through the 2nd quarter. It was a one-goal game with a minute to go. Wilson had a transition opportunity and the refs stopped the game due to a clock situation. Unfortunate for Wilson.

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The only reason I remembered this was the opening line of your weekly write-up: I’ll say punahou with Duplanty and Brooks

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One point to sbwp for correctly telling us that Tony Azevedo, Ben Hallock, Thomas Dunstan, and Ryder Dodd were pre-college water polo Olympians. One point to CaliWaterPolo for telling us that Punahou’s all-time second-team goalie, Brandon Brooks, is a 2x Olympian. Punahou’s all-time first-team goalie, Chris Duplanty, is a 3x Olympian and a member of the Water Polo Hall of Fame. No other high school program has produced more top-notch goalies than Punahou.

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Mater Dei’s leading scorer this year is senior attacker Jordan Hanna. The name listed above (Reed) is a NorCal player and does not attend Mater Dei.

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Also, he’s not Hanna Jordan, who played at Concordia. :laughing:

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Congratulations to Corona del Mar for winning the Santa Barbara Invitational and Redwood for winning the Roche Invitational. This week’s action features the South Coast Tournament. Eighteen of the teams in my Top 20 list will participate in this tournament. The marquee non-league game this week is JSerra vs. Sacred Heart Prep, which will be played at JSerra on Wednesday.

My unofficial rankings for the week ending September 7 follow below.

Top 20

  1. Newport Harbor (4-0). Last week Newport beat Foothill 15-9. This week, Newport hosts the South Coast Tournament.

  2. JSerra (2-0). Last week, JSerra beat Oaks Christian 11-7. JSerra was missing six of its top players. This week, JSerra plays Sacred Heart on Wednesday and in the South Coast Tournament.

  3. Harvard-Westlake (3-0). Last week, Harvard-Westlake beat St. Francis 23-2. This week, Harvard Westlake plays in the South Coast Tournament.

  4. Sacred Heart Prep (0-0). Sacred Heart didn’t play last week. This week, Sacred Heart plays Menlo on Tuesday, JSerra on Wednesday, and in the South Coast Tournament.

  5. Oaks Christian (1-1). Last week, Oaks Christian lost to JSerra 11-7. This week, Oaks Christian plays in the South Coast Tournament.

  6. De La Salle (1-0). Last week, De La Salle beat California 28-11. This week, De La Salle plays Monte Vista on Tuesday and in the South Coast Tournament.

  7. Cathedral Catholic (3-0). Last week, Cathedral Catholic beat Loyola 14-9. This week, Cathedral Catholic plays in the South Coast Tournament.

  8. Miramonte (1-0). Miramonte didn’t play last week. This week, Miramonte plays in the South Coast Tournament.

  9. Corona del Mar (7-0). Last week, Corona del Mar won the Santa Barbara Invitational, beating Terra Linda 17-5 in the first round, Costa Mesa 12-11 in the quarterfinals, Westlake 13-8 in the semifinals, and Mater Dei 9-7 in the finals. This week, Corona del Mar plays in the South Coast Tournament.

  10. Loyola (0-1). Last week, Loyola lost to Cathedral Catholic 14-9. This week, Loyola plays in the South Coast Tournament.

  11. Bishop’s (3-1). Bishop’s didn’t play last week. This week, Bishop’s plays in the South Coast Tournament.

  12. Mater Dei (5-3). Last week, Mater Dei beat Beckman 19-10 and finished second in the Santa Barbara Invitational, beating Carlsbad 16-8 in the first round, beating Saint Francis 15-9 in the quarterfinals, beating Bellarmine 16-6 in the semifinals, and losing to Corona del Mar 9-7 in the finals. This week, Mater Dei plays in the South Coast Tournament.

  13. Santa Margarita (2-0). Santa Margarita didn’t play last week. This week, Santa Margarita plays in the South Coast Tournament.

  14. Campolindo (2-0). Last week, Campolindo beat Berkeley 24-10 and Santa Cruz 12-7. This week, Campolindo plays in the South Coast Tournament.

  15. Foothill (4-2). Last week, Foothill lost to Newport Harbor 15-9. This week, Foothill plays in the South Coast Tournament.

  16. Greenwich (1-0). Last week, Greenwich beat The Hill School 19-3. This week, Greenwich plays in the Battle of the Beltways Tournament in Annapolis.

  17. Long Beach Wilson (3-2). Last week, Long Beach Wilson beat Los Alamitos 12-10 in overtime. This week, Long Beach Wilson plays in the South Coast Tournament.

  18. Westlake (8-2). Last week, Westlake beat Alta Loma 17-12 and finished third in the Santa Barbara Invitational, beating Downey 17-8 in a play-in game, beating Crean Lutheran 12-11 in the first round, beating Archie Williams 13-12 in the quarterfinals, losing to Corona del Mar 13-8 in the semifinals, and beating Bellarmine 13-12 in overtime in the 3rd place game. Westlake plays Laguna Beach on Tuesday.

  19. Archie Williams (5-1). Last week, Archie Williams beat Valley Christian 16-10 and finished 5th in the Santa Barbara Invitational, beating Yucaipa 14-6 in the first round, losing to Westlake 13-12 in the quarterfinals, beating Mira Costa 15-9, and beating St. Francis 16-15 in the 5th place game. Archie Williams doesn’t play this week.

  20. Bellarmine (2-2). Last week, Bellarmine finished 4th in the Santa Barbara Invitational, beating Orange Lutheran 12-10 in the first round, beating San Marcos 9-6 in the quarterfinals, losing to Mater Dei 16-6 in the semifinals, and losing to Westlake 13-12 in overtime in the 3rd place game. This week, Bellarmine plays Valley Christian on Wednesday and in the South Coast Tournament.

(20.) Mira Costa (4-2). Last week, Mira Costa beat Redlands East Valley 15-2 and finished 7th in the Santa Barbara Invitational, beating Beckman 14-7 in the first round, losing to Corona del Mar 12-11 in the quarterfinals, losing to Archie Williams 15-9, and beating San Marcos 11-9 in the 7th place game. This week, Mira Costa plays in the South Coast Tournament.

SoCal Top 10

  1. Newport Harbor
  2. JSerra
  3. Harvard-Westlake
  4. Oaks Christian
  5. Cathedral Catholic
  6. Corona del Mar
  7. Loyola
  8. Bishop’s
  9. Mater Dei
  10. Santa Margarita

NorCal Top 10

  1. Sacred Heart Prep

  2. De La Salle

  3. Miramonte

  4. Campolindo

  5. Archie Williams

  6. Bellarmine

  7. Tamalpais (0-0). Tam didn’t play last week. Tam plays Berkeley on Wednesday and St. Ignatius on Friday.

  8. Redwood (4-0). Last week, Redwood won the Roche Invitational, beating Clovis North 11-6 in the first round, Davis 16-6 in the quarterfinals, La Jolla 16-15 in the semifinals, and Menlo 11-10 in overtime in the finals. Redwood plays Las Lomas on Friday.

  9. Menlo (4-2). Last week, Menlo beat Los Gatos 15-13 in overtime and finished 2nd in the Roche Invitational, beating Burlingame 18-8 in the first round, beating Buchanan 12-11 in the quarterfinals, beating Rio Americano 13-6 in the semifinals, and losing to Redwood 11-10 in overtime in the finals. Menlo plays Sacred Heart on Tuesday.

  10. Rio Americano (4-1). Last week, Rio Americano (the defending Sac-Joaquin Section 1 champions) beat Jesuit 16-9 and finished third in the Roche Invitational, beating Soquel 8-7 in overtime in the first round, beating San Ramon Valley 17-9 in the quarterfinals, losing to Menlo 13-6 in the semifinals, and beating La Jolla 12-10 in the 3rd place game. Rio Americano plays Ponderosa on Tuesday.

(10.) St. Francis (2-2). Last week, St Francis finished 6th in the Santa Barbara Invitational, beating Huntington Beach 11-10 in the first round, losing to Mater Dei 15-9 in the quarterfinals, beating San Marcos 13-9, and losing to Archie Williams 16-15 in the 5th place game. This week, St. Francis plays Serra on Wednesday and hosts the St. Francis Invitational.

Top 10 Private Schools

  1. JSerra
  2. Harvard-Westlake
  3. Sacred Heart Prep
  4. Oaks Christian
  5. De La Salle
  6. Cathedral Catholic
  7. Bishop’s
  8. Loyola
  9. Mater Dei
  10. Santa Margarita

Top 10 Public Schools

  1. Newport Harbor
  2. Miramonte
  3. Corona del Mar
  4. Campolindo
  5. Foothill
  6. Greenwich
  7. Long Beach Wilson
  8. Westlake
  9. Archie Williams
  10. Mira Costa

Last week, I offered one point to anyone who could name the Americans who were water polo Olympians before their first year in college during the time period from 1964 through 2024. One point to sbwp for correctly telling us that Long Beach Wilson’s Tony Azevedo, Harvard-Westlake’s Ben Hallock, Mater Dei’s Thomas Dunstan, and JSerra’s Ryder Dodd were pre-college water polo Olympians. No one mentioned El Segundo’s Bob Saari. He was a member of the 1964 Olympic team at age 16. Bob’s older brother, Roy, and his father, Urho, are members of the Water Polo Hall of Fame. On the women’s side, Laguna Beach’s Makenzie and Aria Fischer, Monte Vista’s Maggie Stephens, and King’s Emily Ausmus were pre-college water polo Olympians.

I offered a bonus point to the first person who could tell us which high school’s all-time second team includes a 2x Olympian at goalie. One point to CaliWaterPolo for telling us that Punahou’s all-time second-team goalie, Brandon Brooks, is a 2x Olympian. Punahou’s all-time first-team goalie, Chris Duplanty, is a 3x Olympian and a member of the Water Polo Hall of Fame. Punahou’s all-time third-team goalie is Dave Rosen, a 3x All-American at UCLA. No other high school program has produced more top-notch goalies than Punahou.

Just for the heck of it. One point to the first person who can name the team on one of my lists that is coached by a member of the Water Polo Hall of Fame. A bonus point to the first person who can tell us which position this coach played.

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Looks like the top 15 teams in your lineup will be at South Coast tournament next weekend . Should be fun early season games to see how everyone matches-up!

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Bishop’s is coached by Doug Peabody, who was inducted into the hall of fame earlier this summer. Not sure what position he played…

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One point to NorCalDad for correctly telling us that Doug Peabody, a longtime coach at Bishop’s, was inducted into the Water Polo Hall of Fame earlier this year as a coach.

Although I didn’t make this clear in my posting, the coach I have in mind was inducted into the Hall of Fame as a player.

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I’ll guess Menlo’s Jack Bowen, goalie

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Any news on south coast schedule?

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The 2024 South Coast Tournament is packed with exciting water polo action, and I’ll be there through the weekend at Foothill High School to take notes on all the games. Day one starts with a highly anticipated matchup between Foothill and Santa Margarita. Both teams are brimming with talent, making this a crucial game, especially as both are highly predicted Open Division teams. The winner will advance to face Harvard Westlake, a team with a strong and solid squad. Harvard Westlake features senior Connor Kim, who excels on extra man plays and has great attacking abilities, and Otto Stothart, an aggressive asset who consistently puts the ball in the net. The Wolverines will face Beckman in their opening game, which I predict will be a blowout, setting up an exciting second-round matchup for either the Knights or the Eagles.

Santa Margarita features standout sophomore 2-meter Logan McGann, who excels at posting up and finishing, junior Evan Wu, a fast counter threat and precise sharpshooter with great explosiveness and all-around skills, senior Aidan Thomas, one of the strongest guards in his class, and senior attacker Gehrig McKay, whose passing abilities elevate their offense.

Foothill counters with depth and shooting talent. Key players to watch include senior attacker Ayden Alcazar, a crafty and versatile utility player known for his playmaking and vocal leadership, junior sharpshooter John Bergstedt, who brings speed and precision and is effective at scoring, and senior utility player Brody Metz, a strong body who excels in the counterattack and can bury his shots. With senior standout goalie Edric Scott defending the cage, Foothill is set to put up a strong fight. My prediction: a close battle with Foothill edging out Santa Margarita 12-10.

Also on day one, Sacred Heart could face the Mater Dei Monarchs in their second matchups of the day. I predict Mater Dei will win their opening game against Laguna Beach with a score of 14-9, led by seniors Kyson Becker, a strong and confident lefty who creates his own opportunities, and Lucas Warner, a commanding presence in the guard position. I also expect Sacred Heart to come out on top over Palos Verdes, setting up an exciting second-round matchup between the Monarchs and the Gators. I look forward to all the games and will try to update scores as much as possible throughout the weekend at Foothill.”

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Congratulations to Newport Harbor for winning the South Coast Tournament and, in the process, wining every game by at least six goals and ending JSerra’s 40-game winning streak. Games of note this week include Newport vs. Harvard-Westlake, Newport vs. Cathedral Catholic, JSerra vs. Loyola, Mater Dei vs. Bishop’s, Miramonte vs. Campolindo, and Miramonte vs. Bellarmine.

My unofficial rankings for the week ending September 14 follow below.

Top 20

  1. Newport Harbor (9-0). Last week, Newport won the South Coast Tournament, beating Vista 25-1, San Clemente 15-3, Corona del Mar 14-6 in the quarterfinals, Harvard Westlake 17-5 in the semifinals, and JSerra 14-8 in the finals. This week, Newport plays Edison on Wednesday, Harvard-Westlake on Friday, and Cathedral Catholic on Saturday. Center defender Santino Rossi, a transfer from Mater Dei, and left-handed attacker James Mulvey, a transfer from JSerra, are eligible to play beginning on Wednesday.

  2. JSerra (7-1). Last week, JSerra beat Sacred Heart 11-9 and finished 2nd in the South Coast Tournament, beating Murrieta Valley 15-5, beating Bellarmine 17-4, beating De La Salle 13-10 in the quarterfinals, beating Oaks Christian 10-9 in the semifinals, and losing to Newport Harbor 14-8 in the finals. This week, JSerra plays Loyola on Thursday. Connor Colman, a transfer from Los Alamitos, and Brian Barnuevo, a transfer from Mater Dei, are eligible to play beginning on Wednesday.

  3. Oaks Christian (5-2). Last week, Oaks Christian finished third in the South Coast Tournament, beating Alta Loma 19-9, beating Campolindo 15-12, beating Miramonte 10-9 in the quarterfinals, losing to JSerra 10-9 in the semifinals, and beating Harvard-Westlake 16-12 in the 3rd place game. This week, Oaks Christian plays Newbury Park on Thursday.

  4. Harvard-Westlake (6-2). Last week, Harvard-Westlake finished 4th in the South Coast Tournament, beating Beckman 21-2, beating Foothill 18-9, beating Mater Dei 13-11 in the quarterfinals, losing to Newport 17-5 in the semifinals, and losing to Oaks Christian 16-12 in the 3rd place game. Center Otto Sothhart and Connor Kim were injured during the South Coast Tournament. They are expected back later this season. This week, Harvard-Westlake plays Newport on Friday.

  5. Sacred Heart Prep (4-3). Last week, Sacred Heart beat Menlo 17-8, lost to JSerra 11-9, and finished 10th in the South Coast Tournament, beating Palos Verdes 15-13, losing to Mater Dei 13-9, beating Foothill 11-8, beating Loyola 14-12, and losing to Cathedral Catholic 12-9 in the 9th place game. To answer an anticipated question, I didn’t drop Sacred Heart below No. 5 because, unlike Newport and JSerra, Sacred Heart doesn’t have enough depth to make up for the loss of two starters. I expect Sacred Heart to play better when the two starters return in October. This week, Sacred Heart plays Valley Christian on Wednesday.

  6. De La Salle (5-2). Last week, De La Salle beat Monte Vista 19-11 and finished 6th in the South Coast Tournament, beating San Juan Hills 16-10, beating Bishop’s 11-10, losing to JSerra 13-10 in the quarterfinals, beating Miramonte 12-7, and losing to Mater Dei 12-11 in overtime in the 5th place game. This week, De La Salle plays Granada on Wednesday.

  7. Mater Dei (10-4). Last week, Mater Dei beat Beckman 19-10 and finished 5th in the South Coast Tournament, beating Laguna Beach 14-8, beating Sacred Heart 13-9, losing to Harvard-Westlake 13-11 in the quarterfinals, beating Corona del Mar 12-10, and beating De La Salle 12-11 in overtime in the 5th place game. This week, Mater Dei plays Bishop’s on Saturday. Goalie Morgan Crichton is eligible to play beginning on Wednesday.

  8. Miramonte (4-2). Last week, Miramonte finished 7th in the South Coast Tournament, beating Los Alamitos 21-11, beating Cathedral Catholic 9-7, losing to Oaks Christian 10-9 in the quarterfinals, losing to De La Salle 12-7, and beating Corona del Mar 14-13 in overtime in the 7th place game. This week, Miramonte plays Campolindo on Wednesday and Bellarmine on Friday.

  9. Cathedral Catholic (7-1). Last week, Cathedral Catholic finished 9th in the South Coast Tournament, beating Edison 20-4, losing to Miramonte 9-7, beating Campolindo 10-5, beating Bishop’s 15-5, and beating Sacred Heart 12-9 in the 9th place game. This week, Cathedral Catholic plays Newport on Saturday.

  10. Corona del Mar (9-3). Last week, Corona del Mar finished eighth in the South Coast Tournament, beating Orange Lutheran 18-5, beating Loyola 15-13, losing to Newport 14-6, losing to Mater Dei 12-10, and losing to Miramonte 14-13 in overtime. This week, Corona del Mar plays Huntington Beach on Wednesday and Mira Costa on Friday.

  11. Bishop’s (6-3). Last week, Bishop’s finished 11th in the South Coast Tournament, beating Huntington Beach 16-13, losing to De La Salle 11-10, beating Bellarmine 19-8, losing to Cathedral Catholic 15-5, and beating Loyola 15-7 in the 11th place game. This week, Bishop’s plays Mater Dei on Saturday.

  12. Campolindo (5-2). Last week, Campolindo finished 13th in the South Coast Tournament, beating Long Beach Wilson 14-6, losing to Oaks Christian 15-12, losing to Cathedral Catholic 15-10, beating Bellarmine 16-10, and beating Foothill 13-12 in overtime in the 13th place game. This week, Campolindo plays Miramonte on Wednesday and Terra Linda on Thursday.

  13. Loyola (2-4). Last week, Loyola finished 12th in the South Coast Tournament, beating Ventura 14-6, losing to Corona del Mar 15-13, beating San Clemente 10-9, losing to Sacred Heart 14-12, and losing to Bishop’s 15-7 in the 11th place game. This week, Loyola plays Crespi on Monday and JSerra on Thursday.

  14. Foothill (6-5). Last week, Foothill finished 14th in the South Coast Tournament, beating Santa Margarita 10-9 in overtime, losing to Harvard-Westlake 18-9, losing to Sacred Heart 11-8, beating San Clemente 12-7, and losing to Campolindo 13-12 in overtime in the 13th place game. This week, Foothill plays Los Alamitos on Thursday.

  15. Greenwich (2-0). Last week, Greenwich beat Malvern Prep 26-7. This week, Greenwich plays Staples on Thursday.

  16. Westlake (9-2). Last week, Westlake beat Laguna Beach 18-10. This week, Westlake plays Calabasas on Tuesday, Orange Lutheran on Wednesday, and Agoura on Thursday.

  17. Archie Williams (5-1). Archie Williams didn’t play last week. They play San Rafael on Wednesday and Tamalpais on Thursday.

  18. Bellarmine (5-5). Last week, Bellarmine beat Valley Christian 18-10 and finished 15th in the South Coast Tournament, beating San Marcos 12-9, losing to JSerra 17-4, losing to Bishop’s 19-8, losing to Campolindo 16-10, and beating San Clemente 15-10 in the 15th place game. This week, Bellarmine plays St. Francis on Wednesday and Miramonte on Friday.

  19. San Marcos (11-5). Last week, San Marcos beat Servite 15-12 and finished 17th in the South Coast Tournament, losing to Bellarmine 12-9, beating Murrieta Valley 15-5, beating San Juan Hills 11-10 in overtime, beating Long Beach Wilson 10-9, and beating Mira Costa 8-6 in the 17th place game. San Marcos doesn’t play this week.

  20. Long Beach Wilson (6-4). Last week, Long Beach Wilson finished 19th in the South Coast Tournament, losing to Campolindo 14-6, beating Alta Loma 18-3, beating Los Alamitos 13-12, losing to San Marcos 10-9, and beating Santa Margarita 9-8 in the 19th place game. Long Beach Wilson plays Palos Verdes on Tuesday.

SoCal Top 10

  1. Newport
  2. JSerra
  3. Oaks Christian
  4. Harvard-Westlake
  5. Mater Dei
  6. Cathedral Catholic
  7. Corona del Mar
  8. Bishop’s
  9. Loyola
  10. Foothill

NorCal Top 10

  1. Sacred Heart Prep

  2. De La Salle

  3. Miramonte

  4. Campolindo

  5. Archie Williams

  6. Bellarmine

  7. Tamalpais (1-0). Last week, Tam beat Berkeley 22-6. This week, Tam plays San Marin on Tuesday, Archie Williams on Wednesday, and St. Ignatius on Friday.

  8. Redwood (5-0). Last week, Redwood beat Las Lomas 9-6. This week, Redwood plays Marin Academy on Tuesday.

  9. Menlo (5-3). Last week, Menlo lost to Sacred Heart 17-8 and beat Menlo Atherton 19-4. This week, Menlo plays Mitty on Tuesday and is the No. 1 seed in the America’s Finest City Tournament.

  10. Rio Americano (5-1). Last week, Rio Americano beat Ponderosa 16-10. This week, Rio Americano plays Christian Brothers on Tuesday and is the No. 2 seed in the America’s Finest City Tournament.

(10.) St. Francis (7-2). Last week, St. Francis beat Serra 17-12, beat Arroyo Grande 16-8, and won the St. Francis Invitational, beating Garces Memorial 14-8, Serra 18-7 in the semifinals, and Jesuit 18-12 in the finals. This week, St. Francis plays Bellarmine on Wednesday and Harker on Saturday.

Top 10 Private Schools

  1. JSerra
  2. Oaks Christian
  3. Harvard-Westlake
  4. Sacred Heart Prep
  5. De La Salle
  6. Mater Dei
  7. Cathedral Catholic
  8. Bishop’s
  9. Loyola
  10. Bellarmine

Top 10 Public Schools

  1. Newport Harbor
  2. Miramonte
  3. Corona del Mar
  4. Campolindo
  5. Foothill
  6. Greenwich
  7. Westlake
  8. Archie Williams
  9. San Marcos
  10. Long Beach Wilson

Last week, I offered one point to the first person who could name a team on one of my lists that is coached by a member of the Water Polo Hall of Fame. One point to NorCalDad for correctly telling us that Doug Peabody, a longtime coach at Bishop’s, was inducted into the Hall of Fame as a coach this year. No one mentioned Heather Moody, the coach of the boys’ team at Rio Americana. Moody played center for the U.S. Senior National Team. She is a 2x Olympian and a member of the Hall of Fame. Here is a link to a USA Water Polo video in which Moody discusses the fine points of playing center: Heather Moody: Center Forward (youtube.com)

Just for the heck of it. Two points to the person who can select the best coed water polo team comprised of at least three women, at least three men, one goalie, at least one center, and five other field players. The individuals selected must have been Olympians during the period from 1968 to the present and must have played at least their senior year of high school water polo in a state other than California. The same player or players can be selected by more than one participant.

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Jeff. Not sure when Otto Stothart (Harvard-Westlake) was injured but he played in both the semis (vs Newport) and the 3rd place game (vs Oaks). Saw Connor Kim on the pool deck with an eye patch. Hopefully not too serious. Wishing him a healthy recovery.

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I heard it was a concussion, or at least, a potential concussion. This doesn’t surprise me

My observations from the weekend is that the violence level has been ratcheted up. A lot of head contact. A lot more testicle grabbing. A lot more elbowing, kicking and kneeing away from the play. I’m blaming the underwater camera at the Olympics.

The referees need to quickly catch up to what players and teams are doing and not be caught unaware. I didn’t see a single brutality called when many could have been (much more obvious than the one Hooper got).

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