2022 North vs South Challenge

[jeff]

Because it’s never too early to talk about the high school water polo season, here is a list of the 16 schools participating in the 2022 North vs South Challenge:

NorCal

SHP
De La Salle
Miramonte
Brunswick (treated as a NorCal team for purposes of this tournament)
Campo
Menlo
Jesuit
Gunn (co-hosting the tournament with SHP)

SoCal

Newport (participating in this tournament for the first time)
JSerra
HW
MD
Loyola
Oaks
Cathedral Catholic
Santa Margarita

This will be the strongest field in the 17-year history of the North vs South Challenge. If I had to rank the teams now, I’d say the top seven teams in the country will participate in the tournament:

1. Newport
1. JSerra (too close to call between Newport and JSerra)
3. HW
4. SHP
5. MD (assuming the alleged hazing incident doesn’t result in the suspension of any key players)
6. De La Salle
7. Loyola

Miramonte, Brunswick, and Oaks are also likely to finish the season in the top 15, maybe the top 10.

On the Thursday before the tournament begins, four of the top SoCal teams (Newport, JSerra, HW, and MD) will each play a game against one of the top NorCal teams (SHP, De La Salle, Miramonte, and Brunswick) in the North vs South “Showcase.” The four “showcase” games and the North vs South Challenge games played at SHP will be live streamed.

[2plyBathingSuit]

Yea, its about time Newport decided to participate in this tournament. I always wondered why Ross declined this tournament in years past. Maybe finally "winning" CIF-SS Div 1 changed his mind. It's pretty easy when good players knock on your door year after year. (I'm pretty sure this is the case.) I could have advised him years ago this was the path but he should have gone....but hey, he'e Ross. But yea, HS water polo coaches...in general...don't know what they are dealing with (one exception)...Brett at JSerra....he pretty much knows what he's dealing with....much like Flacks and Segesman. JSerra is the new sheriff in town.

[OCWaterpolofan29]

IMO best ran tournament in the country looking forward to watching.

[3470]

@jeff - does miramonte have a new coach yet?

[jeff]

@jeff - does miramonte have a new coach yet?

3470, I don't think Miramonte has made a final decision. My guess is that John Nash (Miramonte Class of 2009 and Santa Clara) and Lincoln Haley (Miramonte Class of 2008 and Whittier) will serve as co-head coaches for at least one year. Nash and Haley played for James Lathrop at Miramonte. Nash had been serving as Lathrop's assistant coach. Haley was the head coach at Acalanes during the 2020 and 2021 seasons. I don't know all of the details but it appears that Acalanes let Haley go because some of the parents wanted to see the program go in another direction. Before becoming the head coach at Acalanes, Haley was the assistant junior varsity coach at Miramonte. At least for now, he has taken Lathrop's place as the head coach of Lamorinda's 18u team.

[jeff]

This morning, I learned that John Nash and Lincoln Haley will be the co-head coaches at Miramonte.

[Thersites]

Yea, its about time Newport decided to participate in this tournament. I always wondered why Ross declined this tournament in years past. Maybe finally "winning" CIF-SS Div 1 changed his mind. It's pretty easy when good players knock on your door year after year. (I'm pretty sure this is the case.) I could have advised him years ago this was the path but he should have gone....but hey, he'e Ross. But yea, HS water polo coaches...in general...don't know what they are dealing with (one exception)...Brett at JSerra....he pretty much knows what he's dealing with....much like Flacks and Segesman. JSerra is the new sheriff in town.

The Newport -J Serra match and the coming 2022 season will shed light on whose a better developer of talent on the HS level. More than talent, it is the learning the Finesse that the Europeans have when it comes to ball handling, shooting and higher WP IQ, which is severely lacking in the U.S. and needs to be addressed at the youth level.

Newport's youth pipeline has improved over the last 5 years with the uptick of the program and downtick of MD & CDM. The good players from Newport- Costa Mesa, Newport Coast will go to NHHS or non-district players, parents may rent a Yacht in Newport Harbor so their kids are in the school district. The real litmus test is players thriving on the collegiate level under the tutelage of the respective coaches.