Cathedral Catholic boys’ water polo continued its strong start to the season with a 3-1 showing at the prestigious South Coast Tournament, hosted at multiple high schools in Irvine. The Dons enter the next stretch of the season with a 6-1 overall record, and their only loss came by a single goal to perennial national powerhouse Newport Harbor.

Cathedral opened the tournament with a 17-10 win over Mira Costa, then defeated Bishop’s 19-11. The Dons then faced Newport Harbor in a hard-fought semifinal, falling 16-15 after building an 8-5 lead in the second quarter. The Sailors rallied late to avenge their 12-10 loss to the Dons in the teams’ season-opening matchup on August 27. Cathedral closed the tournament with a 19-16 win over Oaks Christian.

The Dons entered the tournament ranked No. 1 in Southern California and among the state’s top teams. Their early-season success has been fueled by a talented offensive attack and a roster with significant high-level club experience. Several Cathedral players were members of the 18U club team that won the 2026 USA Water Polo Junior Olympics national championship.

Senior Eamon Bruhn leads a deep and talented group that has quickly established itself among the top programs in the region. Following the narrow loss to Newport Harbor, Head Coach Corcoran emphasized the character and unity that define this team.

“The resiliency these boys have, they are winners,” Corcoran said. “Team full of boys that love, care, and work for one another.”

With a 6-1 record and another potential matchup with Newport Harbor later in the season, the Dons will look to build on their strong start. There is little time to rest, as Cathedral returns to action this week against league rival La Jolla. The two teams battled throughout last season, with the Vikings earning a victory over the Dons in the CIF championship game. Cathedral then answered with a win over La Jolla in the Southern California Regional playoffs. With both programs among the top teams in the region, another highly competitive matchup awaits.