Men’s water polo matchups set for NorCal and SoCal regionals

(Courtesy CCCWPCA)
(Courtesy CCCWPCA)
November 10, 2025

Regional Brackets 
NorCal l SoCal

SANTA CRUZ – Six Northern California and ten Southern California squads are set to hit the water at this weekend’s 3C2A Men’s Water Polo Regional Championships, and, especially in the north, the brackets feature the same cast of characters as in 2024. The question heading into the tournaments at Merced College (NorCal) and Southwestern College (SoCal) is also the same as it was last year: can anyone derail West Valley in the north and Golden West in the south?

Five of the six northern teams – No. 1 West Valley, No. 2 American River, No. 3 Sierra, No. 4 Diablo Valley, and No. 5 Modesto – are back again, joined this year by No. 6 Cabrillo. Out of that group, West Valley has posted decisive wins over Cabrillo (twice), Diablo Valley (twice) and Sierra.

Big 8 foes Modesto (20-9) and Diablo Valley (21-10) open the tourney Friday, with the winner taking on WVC (28-3) Saturday morning. The winner of Friday’s second game between Sierra (15-10) and Cabrillo (18-12) advances to take on American River (15-12) Saturday. The 3rd place game is slated for 2:30 p.m.Saturday, followed by the regional final at 5 p.m.

Like the north, the top three teams in the southern bracket – No. 1 Golden West, No. 2 Long Beach City and No. 3 Orange Coast – are exactly the same as in 2024. Three teams – No. 4 San Diego Mesa, No. 5 Mt. San Antonio and No. 7 Ventura – join the 2025 tournament after sitting out 2024. The rest of the SoCal squads include No. 6 Cypress, No. 8 Cuesta, No. 9 LA Valley and No. 10 Saddleback, who were all in last year’s regional.

Thursday starts with Western St. Conference mates LA Valley (13-14) and Cuesta (18-15) squaring off, with the winner advancing to battle eight-time defending state champ Golden West (31-2) Friday morning. Ventura (21-12) and Saddleback (21-15) duke it out Thursday at 11:15 a.m. That winner will take on Long Beach City (22-6) Friday afternoon.

Another Friday morning contest features Mt. SAC (15-11) and San Diego Mesa (24-8), while Orange Empire foes Cypress (18-11) and Orange Coast (23-9) face off in the afternoon. SoCal semifinals are slated for Saturday morning at 8:30 and 9:45, with the 3rd place game at 1:30 and the title tilt at 3:00.

For complete regional tournament information, including brackets, tickets and lodging, visit the 3C2A website here.

(Matt Folsom, CCCWPCA)