By Updated, 17:30 CDT, with additional Twitter feed.
While state championships and playoffs begin in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Michigan today, the California Bay Area is home to one of the greatest concentrations of high quality boys prep water polo in memory.
Within a 10 mile radius on the Bay Area Peninsula and Silicon Valley fans can watch the top rated teams from the Southern Section, San Diego, Northern, and Central California at the simultaneously-run North South Challenge centered in Atherton, and the Memorial Cup headquartered at Bellarmine Prep in San Jose.
The two tournaments, typically held at least a week apart, fall on the same weekend this year due to a conflict with SAT testing at Bellarmine next weekend, according to Bells head coach Colin Mello. That fortune puts fans in the difficult position of having to choose which of the stellar lineups to watch.
The North-South Challenge features now-legendary Mater Dei and its record-setting win streak, SoCal number two Harvard-Westlake, San Diego power Cathedral Catholic, and NorCal’s unofficial best Sacred Heart Prep, who will attempt to outclass its southern rivals in its home pool.
Twenty miles south down I-280 the lineup includes the host Bells, Southern Section D1 runners up Long Beach Wilson, Bishops and Coronado from San Diego, Jesuit and Rio Americano from the center of the state, and OC powers Corona del Mar and Foothill to name just a few of the top teams.
Matches at the Memorial Cup start first, 9:00AM Friday, while the North vs. South Challenge gets off to a more leisurely beginning at 10:00.
Scores from the North vs. South Challenge will be shared via Twitter, @NorthSouthwopo, and check in with @BCPSports @BellsPoloCoach for possible updates from the Memorial Cup.
Read more about the North vs. South Challenge in Palo Alto Online.
