2026 CIF San Diego Section Boys Water Polo Preview

First game: Monday

Regular season ends: Oct. 30

Championship finals: Nov. 14

Defending champions:

Open Division: La Jolla

Division 1: Torrey Pines

Division 2: Oceanside

Division 3: Mar Vista

Player of the Year: Dexter Black, La Jolla

Top teams

(in predicted order)

1. La Jolla

2. Cathedral Catholic

3. Bishop’s

4. Santana

5. Torrey Pines

6. Carlsbad

7. Poway

8. Helix

9. Valhalla

10. Canyon Crest Academy

Notable

La Jolla comes off its first San Diego Section Open Division championship, while Cathedral Catholic holds the distinction of becoming the first San Diego Section school to reach the Southern California Regional Division 1 final. The Dons are seeking their third Open title in four years. Both Cathedral Catholic and La Jolla both have four All-CIF players returning. Black, the returning Player of the Year, leads the Vikings, along with Quinn Daniels, Henry Gleniser and Lev Kevorkian. The Dons are led by Braylen Axline, Jett Taylor, Eamon Bruhn and Diego Dantas.

• Defending Division 1 champion Torrey Pines looks to return to the Open Division. Oceanside moves to Division 1 after claiming the Division 2 title last season.

• La Jolla’s Black, Cathedral Catholic’s Taylor and Aiden Shin of Bishop’s stood out on the USA Youth National Team this summer, helping the Americans earn a silver medal in the World Aquatics Youth World Cup in Portugal. Also on the roster were Cathedral Catholic’s Braylen Axline and Grayson Taylor.

Players to watch

(in alphabetical order)

Braylen Axline, Cathedral Catholic, Sr.

Dexter Black, La Jolla, Sr.

Wesley Bodensteiner, Sage Creek, Sr.

Julian Breeze, Torrey Pines, Sr.

Julius Brikho, Valhalla, Sr.

Tim Brown, University City, Sr.

Eamon Bruhn, Cathedral Catholic, Sr.

A.J. Bockstahler, Point Loma, Sr.

Dane Correia, Santa Fe Christian, Sr.

Quinn Daniels, La Jolla, Sr.

Diego Dantas, Cathedral Catholic, Jr.

Henry Glenister, La Jolla, Sr.

Erik Greene, Torrey Pines, Sr.

Khoanam Ho, Poway, Sr.

Davis Jespersen, Santana, Sr.

Leon Kaszan, Canyon Crest Academy, So.

Max Kellerman, Poway, Jr.

Lev Kevorkian, La Jolla, Sr.

Luke Lastomirsky, Scripps Ranch, Sr.

Cutter Leach, Bishop’s, Sr.

Calvin Lubsen, Bishop’s, Jr.

Theo Nordgaard, La Jolla Country Day, Sr.

Axton Rasmusson, Santana, So.

Russell Richardson, Coronado, Sr.

Logan Rorye, Poway, Sr.

Aiden Shin, Bishop’s, Jr.

Jett Taylor, Cathedral Catholic, Sr.

Ozzy Wayne, Oceanside, So.

GLAE THIEN