The Cathedral Catholic boys water polo team holds their trophy high to celebrate their championship victory in the North-South Challenge tournament.
(Courtesy of Cathedral Catholic parent)
The Cathedral Catholic boys water polo team holds their trophy as they celebrate their victory at the Elite 8 tournament Oct. 3, 2026.
(Courtesy of Cathedral Catholic parent)
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The Cathedral Catholic boys water polo team holds their trophy high to celebrate their championship victory in the North-South Challenge tournament.
(Courtesy of Cathedral Catholic parent)
The Cathedral Catholic boys water polo team has made San Diego history as the first CIF-San Diego Section team to win the championship in both the Elite 8 Tournament (hosted by Harvard-Westlake High School on Oct. 1-3, 2026) and the North-South Challenge. Led by Coach Tommy Corcoran, a decorated local water polo athlete himself, the Dons were undefeated in the North-South Challenge tournament, hosted by Sacred Heart High School in Atherton, Calif., which capped off a rigorous week of six challenging games (league, non-league, and tournament match-ups), a news release stated.
The final match showcased top teams of Southern California and Northern California as MiraMonte High School had also punched its ticket to the championship having been undefeated across two days. This would mark the third time Cathedral faced off against MiraMonte during the 2026 season. Following the championship game, a 12-10 victory,
Cathedral now holds a 3-0 record against Miramonte, a notable achievement as these two titans of the North and South have been identified as possibly the top two teams in the country, the news release stated.
The season is not over, and the athletes recognize this as both teams will enter the CIF play-offs very soon. In a post-game interview with Erik Boal Sports, Cathedral center Grayson Taylor spoke about the mindset of the team going into CIF, stating “Our entire team identity is to hold accountability whether it is with our teammates or with ourselves.”
When asked about the experience in regard to the contributions of the team as a whole, Grayson, having scored five goals to help his team win the championship, spoke on the many aspects of his position. A center like Grayson has to perform under heavy pressure, sometimes with two or three defenders trying to shut them down, which translates to opportunities for others to take shots from the outside.
Grayson stated with conviction that “It is just so fun when everyone is getting a piece or a goal, everyone’s going around, everyone’s scoring, everyone’s getting stops. It is just so fulfilling for everyone to be doing good, that’s when it’s really fun.”
Grayson describes the team dynamic that has contributed to the kind of community where the players are achieving and working for each other, for the team, and not for their individual performance or achievement. A dynamic that has translated to many national and regional titles since many in this group started playing together in the 12-&-under age group, the news release stated.
This unprecedented achievement indicates the athletes’ dedication, hard work, teamwork, and determination. This is also reflective of the support and dedication of the coaching staff, families and Cathedral Catholic community, a school that lifts up and celebrates the student-athlete and development of the whole person.
The Dons’ historic double championship sets a new benchmark for San Diego water polo for both the Cathedral Catholic program and the wider San Diego water polo community. Coach Tommy Corcoran frequently tells his team “Iron sharpens iron,” according to the news release.