Read the summaries below to learn more about how your favorite United Team fared at the 2025 Junior Olympic Tournament!
Session I:
Junior Olympics is one of the most intense environments a person can step into. It reminds me of March Madness. You are playing against teams you have never seen before 1-3 times a day. The physical and mental resolve teams must have to be successful in a tournament like this is upheld to the highest degree. Our 18U boys battled hard and put everything they had into their games. Our senior's Will, Ben, Jackson, Colin, Blake, Zach, Owen, and Mike displayed leadership and an environment that made short term memory possible. In tournaments like this it is important to move on to the next task.
Day 1 was filled with excitement and heartache. The boys started off with a thunderous 16-2 victory of Viper Pigeon where everyone on the team found their looks. Zach Dixon put on a clinic for those in attendance on how to do a strong side step out and finish. The lob king, Colin Minehan would not be denied his signature lob from the 1, putting the ball in a perfect cross cage pocket. Our second game versus Greenwich was intense, but our boys stayed engaged and focused on the task at hand. Ben McDade found himself out of the game for a quarter with a bloodied eye, but was right back in and provided a high energy to the team once the bleeding stopped. Jackson Williams showed his quick hands, explosive moves and constant work to gain position. With the final ending in a 10-15 loss, the team held their head high and were ready for the third game. To finish the day we played against a somewhat familiar foe in CT Premier. It was a tough battle but we ended up falling short.
Day 2 started off with a stout defensive showing making for a 10-5 Win over Clovis. Jack Sullivan was making some big time saves, covering all angles of the cage. Even high percentage shots were being denied. Mike Timm was a defensive guru by creating minimal center presence for the offense. It allowed the rest of the team to win the frontcourt with a ferocious press to counter. In our next game versus Long Beach Shores Declan Kivlehan demonstrated his 4/5 side prowess, using his vision to put the team in a high percentage opportunity. Logan Hardel provided the offense with clear space to move by working and holding his side. His efforts allowed for multiple exclusions and good looks from the perimeter. A great effort, but falling just short 7-10 LB Shores.
Day 3 began with a high level of physicality against Big Valley. Will Matthews did a great job of leading an offense to find the open look. With great vision comes great responsibility. Charlie Harbour used his explosive moves to gain inside position on defenders and to find open window shooting lanes. The final score was close, but the team was showing continuous motivation and effort. Final 11-13 Big Valley. The second game against Kearns was an overtly physical match. The team played their style (clean) and came out on top in the end. Ryan Christie demonstrated his athleticism and work ethic, pushing the counter attack and burying some goals. The defense remained strong for the entirety of the game, only giving up 8 goals.
The final game versus Punahou was one to remember. Playing for 9th place, the team came out having fun and playing loose. It was great water polo with teammates making highlight plays to find one another. Blake Stancezeski pushed the tempo, finding multiple goals and assists throughout the game on the 4/5 side. Our seniors took it home in the 4th quarter with an exclamation point. It was a great way to end a successful year. 15-2 over Punahou
18U Boys B -
Puget Sound Polo 10 WCAC United 6 - The team started off on a close game, but just couldn’t pull it off in the end. Noah was shooting the ball like a rocket from the 5 spot. Multiple times finding the back of the net this tournament through his leg strength and power. First game in the books, time to move to the next one.
Tsunami Topaz 9 WCAC United 7 - Another tough battle resulting in a slim defeat. Josh communicated thoroughly during the tournament and got the defense on the same page. Making some great one on one saves, he was a key to the team’s defensive success. Calvin found great looks on the 4/5 side. He was able to put himself in a great shooting lane or use his patience to find an open teammate on a drive or shift.
WCAC United 11 Eugene 8 - Getting the first win of the tournament, the team was starting to click Miko had some great finds from the 4/5 side, by pushing low and finding the best possible angles. He remained a threat on the perimeter forcing his defenders to leave their assignments. Collin shut down multiple offensive threats by bringing a tenacity to the defensive side. His effort and strength thwarted the opponents attempts.
WCAC United 13 Oahu 11 - Getting back to .500 the squad was rolling on the ½ side. Multiple picks and vision showed a good offensive front. Andrew had constant movement on the 1/2 side, forcing the defense to fall out of position which opened up looks at 2 m or a big swing pass for a catch and shoot. Alex posted up from the 1 for a quick entry to finish. His timing was superb in the shot clock, which did not allow the defense to get comfortable.
NIPC 13 WCAC United 10 - Another close one ending in a loss, but multiple highlights of good things to come. Niko found himself with some great looks from the 1/2 side by putting himself in a high percentage shooting lane. Evan’s energy and defensive output he put in took away the opponents gameplay and forced them to slow down. The other team was not able to move quickly in the shot clock because of said effort.
Park City 13 WCAC United 12 - Day three started with a great matchup that unfortunately ended in a one goal loss. Chase provided a high tempo transition with his saves. By taking away multiple high percentage looks the team was able to take advantage on offense. He was an important player to the squad’s success. Eli pushed the counter attack well and allowed the offense to settle into position. He also found himself winning multiple 1 v 1 throughout the game, allowing for open and high percentage looks.
Colorado 8 WCAC United 7 - another loss, but great growth continued for our athletes. Andrew M did a phenomenal job of holding side and working hard for a strong finish. He constantly elevated high on his legs and worked to bury the ball in the net. Braden provided great minutes in center defender. He frustrated multiple centers, which allowed the defense to press out and get set in the offensive side sooner
Puget Sound Polo 7 WCAC United 6 - An early morning game to end the tournament had the boys rocking for the majority of the game. A back and forth for 4 quarters but ultimately ending in a loss. Aidan was a force in center by gaining position and using his agility to make great moves. His presence created open looks for his teammates. Chase provided a high tempo transition with his saves. By taking away multiple high percentage looks the team was able to take advantage on offense. He was an important player to the squad’s success.
18U Boys Hydras United -
Commerce 10 Hydras United 6 -
Hydras United 10 Stanford B 8 -
Brea Olinda 18 Hydras United 8 -
San Diego Shores Gold 12 Hydras United 6 -
Hydras United 9.4 NIPC 9.3 -
Elite 15 Hydras United 9 -
Hydras United 9 Longhorn 7 -
Alameda 15 Hydras United 10 -
16U Boys A -
Orange County Water Polo Club 15 WCAC United 7 -
The boys had quite a test in their first game of the tournament, facing the #1 team in the country. After a tough first quarter, they went punch for punch with Orange County the rest of the way, competing on both ends and drawing a number of ejections from off-ball action. Sebastian Ehringer, who entered the tournament with a foot injury and was uncertain of his status, scored two impressive perimeter goals and played fantastic on the other end.
WCAC United 14 Orlando Thunder 10 -
The team got back on track in their second game, notching their first win of the tournament against Orlando Thunder. They got off to a hot start with a flurry of goals and led the entire way. Mookie Dombar played a great half in the cage, vocally leading the defense and pushing the ball effectively in transition.
WCAC United 13 Praetorian 9 -
This was the epitome of a team win. The boys executed their defensive gameplan flawlessly, making timely adjustments throughout the game. They shared the scoring load, as Ben McCarley, Sebastian Ehringer, Logan Mitchell, Brendan Bogansky, Nayan Shah, Jonah Cohen, Thomas Springer, and Tyler Kemezis all found the back of the net. It was a milestone win for the program, as they clinched a spot in the Platinum Division, the first team in WCAC United history to do so!
Sand Canyon 14 WCAC United 4 -
A game that was close early eventually got away from the guys, as they couldn’t quite keep pace in the second half against another top-ten team in Sand Canyon. Freddie Allerton displayed great vision, finding his teammates for goal scoring opportunities, and Neil McGeehan used his speed and hustle to thwart Sand Canyon’s counter attack and create advantages as a release option in transition.
Greenwich 13 WCAC United 6 -
The boys battled Greenwich as hard as they ever have, keeping the game close into the second half. Dennis Simpson played a crucial role in helping slow down Greenwich’s star center, using every bit of his physicality in the matchup. Jack Forti had the shot of the game, rising up on the perimeter and pinning the top-right corner in the fourth quarter.
SHAQ 18 WCAC United 15 -
After a slow start, the guys found their footing and battled with yet another top-ten team (their fourth of the tournament). It was a game of runs — any time SHAQ thought they had some breathing room, United came screaming back with a slew of goals. Thomas Springer played like a man possessed, attacking relentlessly in transition, scoring on dry stepouts, setting up teammates, and hounding the opposition on defense.
Texas Thunder 9 WCAC United 8 -
This one was a true nailbiter. Both teams took turns grabbing the lead, only to forfeit an equalizer the very next possession. It came down to the final moments, and despite a well-executed timeout play, the boys fell just short. Lachlan Gallo played incredibly hard on the defensive end and was a great source of energy in transition. Matt Toyberman was fantastic in the second half directing the defense and making timely saves.
WCAC United 14 Mission 10 -
A Platinum Division win in the books! This was yet another fantastic team performance, with the boys executing the defensive gameplan to a T. Brendan Bogansky was a force on offense. He scored 10 goals in the contest, nailing penalty shots, dry stepouts through contact, bar-ins from difficult angles, and skying high for catch-and-shoot finishes. Brendan was also recognized as the fifth-ranked player in +/- among 16u players competing in the Platinum Division, per 6-8 Sports.
The team finished with a 3-5 record, but battled tough with pedigree clubs that are among the best in the country. The boys have worked hard all year long and showed that they are a team that is capable of competing with anyone. We are so grateful for their driven spirit, the commitment of their coaches, and the support of their parents. Thank you all for contributing to this amazing experience and we cannot wait to see how the boys apply the lessons they learned in competing with the best teams in the country to their school teams this fall and the club next season!
Session II:
18U Girls A -
CHAWP B 9 WCAC United 7 - The girls opened off against a tough and disciplined team from Chino Hills. We were able to break their press immediately thanks to confident ball movement and strong center play from Katie McCullough, which would be a recurring theme for the week. Chelseas Gadsden made a save heard round the world, stuffing a CHAWP point blank effort with so much authority that the sound of the block reverberated off the entire campus, which kept us alive in the fourth quarter. It was a back and forth game, but eventually CHAWP . Though we lost, the girls felt confident that they would be able to play with anyone over the course of the weekend if they were able to execute well.
WCAC United 11 CHAWP C 4 - In our second game of the day against a team from Chino Hills the girls balled out from start to finish. We used a suffocating press to corner their offense and this led to numerous easy opportunities in transition. Rose Schmidt swerved all over the defense thanks to her speedy drives and Eva McArthur provided lock down defense that suffocated the CHAWP ball handlers. This set us up with a playback game and a chance to be the first ever 18U Girls team to make the Silver Division at JOs.
WCAC United 8 SET B 7 - facing off against a feisty SET team that we had held a combined training with earlier in the week the lads came out firing and controlled the entire game. We responded well to their physicality by drawing countless ejections and executed a patient and composed game plan, holding off a late rally to secure the win and punch a ticket to the Silver Division for the first time ever. Syd McGinley was a cool head and a calm presence with the ball late in the game and was instrumental in sealing the win, Katie Martin was a bulldog defensively all game, and the team did everything they needed to do to come out ahead when the clock struck 0.
WCAC United 10 Lamorinda Brentwood 1 - The girls opened day two with an absolute barn burner of a performance, as everyone got in on the action in a dominant team win. The name of the game was defense as we stiffled LAMO’s offense through another four quarters of relentless pressure on and off the ball. Ella Paldino caught the goalie sleeping for a goal from Caitlin Clark range, Carol Sumner had her head on a swivel defensively and did an awesome job of helping on center and stealing the ball, and the team as a whole did tremendous work to lock all windows and doors and keep the LAMO attack at bay.
WCAC United 6 Sacramento 5 - Part of what makes JOs so difficult is the unpredictable nature of the tournament. The schedule changes constantly with each game, the sun changes the flow of the game depending on the time of day, jetlag can rear its ugly head. Sometimes all of these variables lead to funky things happening. That was the case in this one as we battled off a slow start to fight back against a tough Sacramento team that emptied everything in their bag of tricks to try to tackle us (including a borderline illegal timeout play which led to their final goal of the game that tied it up late). One athlete who had no issue with being awake in this one was Talia Thomas, who did a tremendous job of taking away inside water on defense in addition to bringing her usual spark plug on offense. If there is a single play that will stand out however, that distinction goes to Fiona Rowe, who stepped up when her teammates needed her most. Tied up with less than a minute left, we called timeout to run a play that gave us two primary reads, one of them being a pass to Fiona on a post up. She calmly sealed off her defender and absolutely muscled home the game winner around multiple defenders and the goalie. This fourth win in a row speaks to the belief this team had in each other and got us another chance to play up, this time into the top half of Silver.
MVPolo B 6 WCAC United 5 - This was one of the most positively charged water polo atmospheres our program has ever been a part of. Under the lights on a Friday night with the chance to play up into the top eight of Silver the girls played their hearts out in front of a raucous crowd from both teams. The 16U Girls and 18U B girls in attendance made us feel like we were at home, cheering and willing the Lads to victory. They say not to mix water with electricity but Mia Bananis missed the memo as she lit up the night making more highlight reel saves in this game than some goalies make in their entire careers combined. After a back and forth game that saw both teams trade blows we were ultimately stymied by a pesky MVPolo defense, as playing a 6th game in two days started to catch up to the girls. It was a true team battle as everyone who hit the water made a positive impact, from Abbey Murphy’s beautiful cross cage goal in the third quarter to Maddie Healy dissecting the defense through her heady passes, everyone poured their hearts into this one and left with their heads held high.
WCAC United 10 Kern Premier 5 - This game was nowhere near as close as the scoreline said as we controlled the game from the opening whistle. We played methodical team polo and used our depth to wear down the opposition. Simply put this game was never in doubt thanks to our sturdy team defense and patient work on the offensive end.
Praetorian 8 WCAC United 7 - The girls came up short in another nail biter. In what became a recurring trend we were able to outdraw our opposition in exclusions and maintain a level head in the face of mounting physicality. Unfortunately we were unable to capitalize on enough of the offensive opportunities that we generated by drawing those 6 on 5s, and we were stymied by a tough Praetorian team. Carol Descher did a great job of creating offensive tempo thanks to her effort in the counter attack
Alameda 8 WCAC United 6 - Though we did not end up winning this one, the game was an absolute battle and we could not have been more proud of the girls final effort as team 2024 - 2025. Credit where it is due the opposition took advantage of a few miscues that made the difference. We did an awesome job of adjusting our game plan as the game went on and got some of the looks we wanted but unfortunately did not find the back of the net when it counted. Rosie Cassidy played a crucial role in the fourth quarter as she did an awesome job of holding position and earning a third exclusion on Alameda’s best player,
18U Girls B -
Game 1 Set Pink B – Set 15 United 8 (L) On Day 1, the girls showed up ready to go, facing Set Pink B in our first game. Having trained with Set earlier in the week, we knew to expect a tough, physical match up against a strong West Coast program. Our girls came out strong, held their own, and set the tone for the week ahead. Although we lost 15 to 8, our stat sheet was full, and our girls were playing as a team right out of the gate. Our first goal came from #12 Grace Tolland in the 1st quarter. Grace went on to finish the game with a hat trick, scoring two more in the 4th. Game 1 goal scorers also included #6 Aubrey Cramer, #7 Claudia Heim, #10 Mei Li Marcucci with 2, and #19 Neve Conlin.
Game 2 Orlando Thunder – Thunder 13 United 7 (L) , against Orlando Thunder, started slow. Orlando came out strong with a tough press and they countered hard, going up 4-0 in the 1st quarter. In the 2nd quarter #11 Teagan Ford was the spark that lit the fire that our girls needed, with our first goal of the game. As our girls clawed back, #13 Adelina Cutrona scored in the 3rd keeping the flame alive.
Going into the 4th down 10-2, our girls never let up. Outscoring the Thunder 5-3 in the 4th quarter, with a hat trick from #7 Claudia Heim, and crucial goals from #5 Olivia Long and #10 Mei Li Marcucci. Though we ended Day 1 with 2 losses, we came out of the day learning from games 1 and 2, with more positives than negatives, and high spirits ready for Day 2.
Game 3 Diablo Alliance B – Alliance 8.4 United 8.2 (L*) Day 2 started with an exciting back-and-forth Game 3 against Diablo Alliance B, that ended in a shootout “L” 8.4 to 8.2, with a big asterisk next to it… Despite the uncontrollables, our girls continued to battle and show their resilience, with multiple scoring contributors once again.
Game 4 Hilo Hammahz – United 9 Hammahz 5 (W) Defensively, our girls showed their ability to compete at a high level with outstanding performances from #21 Stella Heim stood out as a lock down perimeter defender throughout the tournament, and #1 Emma Madden who came up with a huge save in the first shoot out and give our team the confidence to play aggressive throughout the week knowing we could rely on her to make big saves against any opponent.
Game 5 West Valley B – United 11 West Valley 4 (W) Our girls bounced back with a dominant win in Game 4 against Hilo Hammahz, winning 9 to 5 to end Day 2 on a high note.
Day 3 began with an early morning game against West Valley B. Our girls came out strong and kept the foot on the gas for all 4 quarters. The first possession of the game, #12 Grace Tolland won the swim off, #19 Neve Conlin drew a penalty, and #17 Lainey Connaghan drilled the 5m to set the tone for the game.
Game 5 was filled with dominant defensive pressure, relentless counterattack, confident front court control and winning 11-4.
Game 6 Kearns – United 10 Kearns 9 (W) To keep the streak alive, our girls played Kearns in Game 6, a one goal battle that ended in a 10-9 win. #5 Olivia Long led the charge by scoring 4 goals, #5 Aubrey Cramer and #12 Grace Tolland with 2 goals each, and #7 Claudia Heim and #19 Neve Conlin both with 1.
Game 7 Valley United – United 12 Valley 7 (W) Day 4 came to an end with an incredible team performance in Game 7, winning 12-7 over Valley United earning our girl’s 17th place in the bronze division. The energy and effort were as strong as it had been with this team from Day 1, and it was evident from the pool deck that they were having fun.
I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to coach such positive, hardworking, and energetic girls throughout the spring and summer. Thank you all for making Junior Olympics such a fun and rewarding experience. I can’t wait to see what you accomplish this fall, and I’m already looking forward to seeing them back together at United in the spring.
Thank you!
Coach Dan
16U Girls -
The 16u girls started off their tournament with an exciting 4-3 win over 2 seed MVPolo. The first game served as a preview for the long weekend as they played every opponent close and always gave themselves a chance. Alaina Clemens scored on a rocket from the top as time expired in the first quarter, with the entire team contributing to a defensive battle that went back and forth, ultimately ending with a United victory.
Game two likely provided the most excitement any water polo fan has seen as the group found themselves in another tight contest. Arden Kearney led the goal-scoring attack, netting a hat-trick with running mates Cat Descher adding two and Siena Scungio adding a tally. Down by one with less than 0:30 left, Anna Springer comes out of the cage to give our team a 7 vs 6 player advantage, and Anna Kolpakova scored the tying goal as time expired to send the game into a shootout. The team ultimately lost in the shootout, but another tight contest earned the girls a third game for the day.
Game Three offered an electric atmosphere as the 18u teams arrived to support their friends, and the 16's played with tremendous energy. Lyla Kerr and Lilly Smolenski each scored a hat trick while Casey McGinley drew two exclusions leading to goals. The defensive effort by the entire group to keep Stanford Black at bay was off the charts, with Emma Simpson coming up with a huge steal in the 3rd quarter in a 3 on 2 situation. With time winding down, the Stanford defense held strong and came away with the victory 7-6.
After an exciting first day, the team got a treat and had the opportunity to play at Long Beach City College, the home practice pool for our United States National Team. The first game of day 2 was against a familiar opponent in Brooklyn Hustle, the girls battled tough and handled the Hustle physicality exceptionally well, leading to the closest game played against them this season. Molly Dougherty scored a big first-quarter goal after a stellar spin move in the post. Final score 8-6, Brooklyn.
Game Number 5 against San Jose Express provided a unique situation as Cat Descher saw her first minutes as a goalkeeper in a competition. Anna Springer scored from way downtown. Also scoring goals were Molly Dougherty (3), Colbie Harakel (3), Gwen Burris, Emma Simpson, and Sydney Legower each scoring on penalty shots with United cruising to a 9-4 victory.
Games 6 and 7 at the beautiful La Serna High School provided the team the opportunity to play their way back towards the top of the bracket with a few wins, and the girls were up to the challenge. Playing a balanced North Irvine team, the group played some of their best water polo from an offensive standpoint. Working for 2m, attacking open water, and sharing the ball, Colbie Harakel poured in another hat trick from the center position while Lilly Smolenski's instincts constantly found her in the right spot, leading to a pair of goals, and Lyla Kerr added one for good measure. Anna Springer stood on her head keeping NI to just 3 goals.
Cat Descher played with poise and tenacity, leading the group against a scrappy Pacific Valley Team, drawing 5 ejections and scoring a goal and Siena Scungio's speed served as a cheat code getting up on the counter attack and hustling back to make big stops on defense. While many of our girls found themselves in foul trouble due to the playstyle of their opponents, the team stayed mentally tough and leaned on each other to outpace PV 7-4.
A playback for the semi-finals provided another tight contest and defensive battle against Tri-Valley, with two excellent goalkeepers doing everything they could to help their teams. The first quarter ended 0-0, then the scoring was broken open by Molly D, while Anna K chipped in a pair, but ultimately Tri-Valley pulled ahead 4-3.
The final game of the tournament was another matchup with NEZ neighbor Brookyln Hustle. The 7:00 am game provided the team one last opportunity to play together, and while the team arrived sleepy, they played tough and left it all in the pool. The 16u team compiled a record of 4-4-1 and a goal differential of +5, but the real takeaway is the memories the team made together and the growth that each athlete showed over the course of the season.
Thank you!
Coach Greg
Session III:
16U B Boys –
WCAC United 18 Viper Pigeons Black 8 - The boys started the tournament firing on all cylinders, beating Viper Pigeons Black 18-8. Led by a swarming lane press and a heavy motion offense, they were able to control the pace of the game. Leo Yaghooty was a constant source of offense, while Ethan Lee was a brick wall in cage throughout the fourth quarter.
Jungle Cat 12 WCAC United 4 - Despite a great effort, the team struggled to find the back of the net and fell to Jungle Cat 12-4. Ryder Learnard worked hard on the defensive side, staying active in the lanes, Xander Bowen was a spark plug in transition, and Jackson Doorley provided pressure on cage as a perimeter shooter.
Storm 16 - WCAC United 8 - The boys battled all four quarters against Storm but couldn't quite close the gap in a tough 16-8 loss to close out the first day of competition. Brock Larkin provided strong minutes at center, holding side against the opposing guard, while Rafael Petrossian did a great job anticipating transition defense to slow the Storm counterattack.
WCAC United 13 vs. Slap Gold 6 - The boys got off to a hot start in Gold Division play, overwhelming Slap Gold on both sides of the pool to win 13-6. Curran Dougherty and Dylan Hardy ran the offense from the 4-5 side excellently, working a two-man game and locating advantages on the weakside, while Ben Barron did a great job holding inside water on the posts, putting tons of pressure on Slap's defensive rotations.
WCAC United 17 Next 9 - The team continued their winning ways in the second game of the day, scorching the back of the nets and toppling Next 17-9. Ian Ivory was excellent on both ends, shutting down the opposing center on defense and finding his teammates on offense. With the win, the boys clinched their spot in the top four of Gold Division.
Hydralamo Black 12 WCAC United 8 - Though the game was close throughout, the guys couldn't quite put the finishing touches on this one, falling to Hydralamo Black 12-8. They'd have to wait until later that day for another chance to clinch a semifinal spot. Matt Billings was an iron man, playing his heart out on both ends, never once flinching despite the fast pace of the game.
WCAC United 13 ECA B 12 - If you were in the stands for this one, you got your money's worth... what a comeback! The boys found themselves down 9-3 at halftime but adjusted to ECA's m-drop and battled back to win 13-12. Gabe Timm played like a man possessed in the fourth quarter, stopping two penalty shots and tipping out the last shot of the game to seal the victory.
WCAC United 7 Norco 6 - On the final day of the tournament, the team faced off against a familiar foe in Norco for a chance to earn a spot in the gold medal game. It was a defensive masterclass, as the boys demonstrated fantastic communication and awareness throughout to keep the high-octane Norco offense at bay. Brandon He turned in an incredible performance in the first half, holding the opponent to a single goal, and Frank Ciprero finished the job in the waning moments of the fourth quarter with a rocket from the perimeter to break the tie and give United a chance to play for a championship.
WCAC United 9 Hydralamo Black 7 - This game was a representation of the hard work the boys put in throughout the season. It was their best performance of the tournament, with each member contributing to the 9-7 championship victory. Despite falling behind in the first half, the team never flinched and worked together to finish off a team they'd lost to only a day earlier. Joey Gugliotti had one of the goals of the tournament, an impressive backdoor finish in the fourth quarter that brought the house down and gave United the lead for good. Noah Perez left everything he had in the water, making impact plays on both ends to help his team succeed and providing incredible energy throughout to fire up his teammates. When it was all said and done, after months of training, the boys could call themselves champions!
14U A Boys –
The 14u boys improved on their result from 2024 by going 4-3 and finishing 6th, overall at the 2025 Texas JO's. The boys faced a variety of playing styles and took valuable lessons away from every team they faced.
WCAC United A 25 Longhorn White 3 - On day 1 we earned 2 easy victories. The boys were pumped up and ready to go! Desmond and Jacob helped the team clobber the Longhorns early and often by finding the back of the net 4 times each. Marshal also had a terrific all-around game with 2 goals and 2 steals.
WCAC United A 19 PEAK Polo 6 - Same story in the second game of the tournament as we went up 9-2 by halftime and coasted to a 19-6 victory. This time, Lochlan scored a United team-high of 9 goals, while playing lock-down defense (pun intended). Declan had an impressive all-around game with 2 goals, 2 steals and 1 assist, and Asher chipped in with 2 goals.
WCAC United A 24 Storm 9 - Our momentum carried over to day 2 as we took on a competitive and hard-fighiting Storm team. Again, we jumped out with a quick start, scoring early and often. Lochlan led the way with 9 more goals, bumping his 3-game total up to 26 goals! With Nate contributing 8 goals and Jacob adding 2 more, we were able to coast to a 24-9 victory.
WCAC United A 16 Chicago Park District 8 - In game 4, Holden took charge against Chicago Park District. Holden protected the goal and collected 7 crucial saves and showed the team that offense can be easy by firing a shot into the left corner just before halftime. The 7-on-6 goal gave our team a comfortable 10-4 lead on our way to a 16-8 victory and happened to be Holden's second goal of the tournament. Not bad for a goalie! Samir and Nate both connected with the back of the net 3 times with 100 % accuracy. Lochlan had another efficient game with goals on 6 out of 8 attempts, 1 assist and 1 steal.
PRWPC 19 WCAC United A 12 - On day 3, Texas threw at us the top 2 teams of the tournament. In our morning game we took on the eventual tournament champion Puerto Rico Water Polo Club. We played our best overall game of the tournament and were only behind by 1 goal, 4-5 at the end of the 1st quarter. Finally, the superior speed and athleticism of our opponent took over and we lost 12-19. Our balanced scoring continued. Samir had another sharp-shooting performance with 3 well-placed goals. Lochlan had 4 goals, Nate scored 2, while Tommy, Declan and Asher each had a goal. Tommy showed off his solid technique on drive defense and had a nice steal as well.
Next Level Black 15 WCAC United 6 - We finally hit a wall in our 6th game of the tournament. The eventual 2nd-place finishers at Texas JO's, Next Level Black had a strategy to intentionally target three of our top scorers by grabbing, choking and then simulating excessive contact when we retaliated. While the physicality was a bit overwhelming and frustrating, Lochlan was able to power through the stifling defense to score 4 times and Jacob had another great game with 1 goal. Moving into next season, we learned that teams will utilize brutal tactics to win, especially in a big quarterfinal game such as this one. We will be more prepared next time!
Hyrdalamo 20 WCAC United 9 - Declan scored 2 goals and Nate had 3 in our final game that placed us at 6th out of all the 14u boys teams that competed at Texas. Although we lost the last one, we fought until the end and showed the world that we are going to come back next year even stronger. These athletes have so much potential - both the kids moving up to a new age group and our younger guys who will come back to 14u next year. I am proud to be the coach of this squad and had the pleasure to hear many compliments about the skill we performed with and the integrity of our character. Well done everyone!
14U B Boys –
Hydralamo 23 WCAC United 6 - The boys started out playing against a very skilled Hydralamo team. That did not stop them from continuing to work hard the entire game. Keegan provided some great center defense, forcing the ball away from cage. Dawson provided help defense to protect against the counter attack forcing the opposing team to find the lower percentage look. Will played a great game by putting all 6 goals on the board, where he demonstrated continuous resolve during the game.
CAPC 18 WCAC United 4 - Following a tough game one the boys were met with another strong matchup. Ashton was able to provide some amazing steals, by getting into a great defensive position forcing a pass into his vicinity. Reeshav found himself in good offense positioning allowing for team movement throughout the pool. The spacing opened up a lot of good opportunities. Falling short this game, the pieces were still coming into place.
WCAC United 13 LOWPO 4 - Our first game on day 2 against Lowpo presented an opportunity to learn how to play together better as a team. Our team switched to a hard press defense where everyone had to maintain pressure on our opponents to prevent scoring opportunities. The team executed this defense and quickly realized that when everyone was on the same page, we could generate offensive scoring opportunities through our tough defense. The team held on to win 13-4 which really boosted everyone’s confidence.
Orlando Thunder 13 WCAC United 8 - In our day 2 second game, we faced off against the Orlando Thunder, the #1 seed in the 14U tournament. The team further exercised our simple defensive strategy and fought hard but fell short in a close game. Again, the team showed improvement in their teamwork and defense which continued to create opportunities for offense and counterattack goals.
NEXT 19 WCAC United 18 - On day 3 in their first game, the boys faced a local team , Next. The team lost a little of their steam from the day prior and fell in a hard fought game. The team learned some valuable lessons where better teamwork would have enabled a win. The team played hard through the whole game.
Zilla 15 WCAC United 13 - In our second game on day 3, we faced Zilla out of Austin, Texas. In this game, the team showed true strength, spirit, and toughness battling through injuries and exclusions to lose the tight contest. At one point while dealing with multiple injuries, our team had to play through a long period with no subs. This may have been one of my favorite games I've ever coached with everyone working together to almost pull off a victory against a much larger team with a deep bench. The team showed real growth over these two days.
VP Hill Country 18 WCAC United 17 - It was a barn burner game to end the tournament. The environment was electric, with the fans cheering for both sides in a back forth game. Francis provided multiple saves late in the game that kept the team in a position to continue to battle. Brendan, our friend from Swim RVA, and Will put away some thunderous goals by using their powerful perimeter shots. Jack had multiple strong moves in the center position, drawing exclusions and scoring goals. Altan pushed the tempo in the counter attack allowing our offense to hit the transition quickly. We lost by one, but the growth by all members of the team was incredible. Great job gentleman.
14U Girls –
WCAC United 14 FLEET 6 - The girls started off their tournament strong with a dominant win over Fleet. It was a true team effort with goals from 9 of our 12 members, including a career-first for Annabelle Mutschler, who moved quickly after a rebound to put a goal in the bottom corner. With a solid performance across the board, this game showcased our communication skills and team-first attitude.
Hydralamo 15 WCAC United 7 - In our second game of day 1, we had a quick turnaround and got caught flat-footed off the start, with Hydralamo scoring quickly off the swim off. Our first quarter was all about finding our rhythm and working with a much faster team and we had solid defensive efforts by Emma Moore and Rachel Sherman, while Caroline Guynn was a brick wall, stopping multiple one-on-nones and even a few 5 meters. The second half of the game proved to be more cohesive for our offensive effort, with a beautiful 5 meter goal from Nora Bogansky, but, ultimately, we could not make up the ground despite our best efforts.
Longhorn 10 WCAC United 3 - Our first game of Day 2 started off much like the second game of Day 1, with a quick-shooting opponent. After being shut out the first half, our girls came together to put three good goals in the back of the net during set plays, but we were unable to stop the counterattack from Longhorn, despite our best efforts. Once again, Caroline was excellent in goal and there were multiple admirable defensive efforts from Alexandra McCarley and Rose Rothman.
Orlando Thunder 7 WCAC United 6 - Day 2 Game 2 was by far our best played game of water polo with a balanced effort across the board and excellent communication from our girls, particularly when it came to getting the ball to 2 meters for Isla Wood’s excellent step-out shots. In a back-and-forth game that kept everyone on the edge of their seats, our girls showcased their growth and enthusiasm for the game, including excellent cheering from the bench for their teammates. While the game didn’t go our way, it was definitely a game that exemplified our growth as a team this season.
West Sub. 24 WCAC United 11 - Day 2 Game 3 started off as a nail-biter, with our girls staying within 2 of the second seed team for the first half. Exciting goals came from across the board, including Emma, Isla, Rose, and Serafina Yaghooty. With a stellar center-defensive performance from Rachel, we effectively shut down West Sub’s center for the first half and forced them to play our brand of water polo. Unfortunately, a combination of exhaustion, poor air quality, and some unfortunate foul-outs meant that the second half of the game fell away from us. Despite our best efforts, the speed of West Sub overwhelmed our defense.
Viper Pigeon 16 WCAC United 5 - Day 3 Game 1 saw a valiant effort by our girls against the top seed in our bracket, with excellent defensive games by Juliette Larkin and Jane Stimmel. While we took a lot of shots, more than our fair share of them hit post or sailed. Once again, Caroline’s brilliant efforts in goal kept us in the game for the first half, but our defense was overwhelmed by the speed of Viper Pigeon’s counterattacks, which was the difference in the game.
PEAK Polo 18 WCAC United 12 - Day 3 Game 2 proved to be the most eventful water polo game of my career and is surely one no one will forget quickly, not because of the actual polo played, but because of the unusual circumstances at half-time. With an unprecedented hour and a half long break between halves, our girls had a lot of time to think about the first half and adjust for the second. They kept their spirits up and our second half saw beautiful top-corner shots from Rachel Sherman to keep the game close. While the game didn’t go in our favor, it was a fantastic example of our girls’ grit and determination.
WCAC United 14 FLEET 5 - We ended the tournament where we started, with a match-up against Fleet. It was a fantastic team effort that included lights-out defense by Harper Sekula and Serafina, who shut down the drive offense of our opponent. We had a balanced effort on the offensive side, including excellent assists from Alexandra and beautiful goals by Nora, Isla, and Rachel. Our girls finished the tournament strong and played with intensity and heart, which was an excellent way to end our first JOs experience!
12U Mixed –
WCAC United 12 vs Hydralamo Yellow - 9 - 12u crew came out firing with a great TEAM offensive WIN. It was good to shake off the travel rust and nerves. Ben B connected on our first penalty shots of the day.
WCAC United W10 SLAP 7 - This game was a first for us this year. The SLAP goalie kept shooting on us ! Our quick reacting coaching staff devised a plan to press the goalie and Coach Darren had some halftime tips for Sydney L … and it worked !! Enzo Y pressured the goalie and he was unable to score. We needed this win to get into the platinum division. WE DID IT !! Must have been the cowbell to come !!
Viper Pigeon 13 WCAC United 10 - The first game of day 2 was a hard fought battle by the kids. The game was close the entire time. Ben B. led the way on defense by locking down the other team’s center while also being an instrumental part in stopping the Viper Pigeons’ strong counter attack. On offense, Joe D. proved to be a force to be reckoned with, scoring multiple goals from the perimeter, catching the other team off guard.
Pirates 22 WCAC United 4 - In game 4 the 12Us fought hard, but the Pirates’ counter attack proved to be too much for the kids to handle. Piper B. was a highlight on offense, scoring two beautiful goals that left us all amazed. On defense, Reidun Y. did an amazing job pressing her man, making sure they did not get the ball once.
Warrior Aquatics 18 WCAC United 8 - In the first game of day 3, the 12Us played Coach Kris’s friend, Coach Bobbi’s, team. The game was tied at 5-5 at the end of the first, but then the fatigue got to the kids. This led to Warrior Aquatics taking over the counter attack where our players could not keep up. In the half-court, the combo of Brooklyn H. and Cece M. proved to be a problem for the opposing offense, they could not break the press of this dynamic duo. Then on offense, Enzo Y. led the way with an amazing double bar in cross cage shot from far out.
WCAC United 11 vs. Zilla 2 - The 12Us dominated this game from the second the whistle blew, making sure Zilla never got any sort of offense going. Sydney L. was a wall in goal, with the only goals she let in being a penalty shot and a catch and shoot off a swing. The team’s offensive explosion was on the back of James M. who was racking up assists the entire game while also adding on a couple of goals for himself. After the game, the coaching staff was quick to say that this was the best game we had ever seen the team play.
Navy 17 United 9 - The last game of the tournament came against a familiar face coming for their revenge. The team played amazing in the first half, but the exhaustion of the tournament finally got to them, leading to Navy taking advantage of counter attack opportunities. Colson W. had an amazing game where he was racking up steals, leading to counter attack opportunities. One of these steals led to a highlight reel goal by Luke M. where he threw a pump fake to get the goalie off his legs, then shot the ball to the high left corner. In all, we are proud of how far the kids have come from the spring till now, we can really see a difference in their skill levels. We are looking forward to next season.
Thank you everyone for the wonderful season and awesome experience at JOs!
