Newport Harbor Advances to CIF Open Division Final
Junior Caruso Polenzani scores five goals as Newport Harbor tops Oaks Christian 13-8 in a CIF Open Division semifinal.
Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in Swimming
Newport Harbor's boys' water polo team defeated Oaks Christian 13-8 on Saturday at Newport Harbor High in an Open Division CIF semifinal. The Sailors will face JSerra for the CIF Open Division title on Saturday at Mt. San Antonio College.
Why it matters
The win sends Newport Harbor back to the CIF Open Division title match for the eighth straight year, extending a long run of championship contention for the program. Local fans will see the program's depth tested against a JSerra team that has already beaten the Sailors once this season.
Polenzani scored five goals and Lian Kim made seven saves in the 13-8 semifinal win over Oaks Christian. Newport Harbor is 20-4 this season while JSerra, which beat Harvard-Westlake 13-11 in the other semifinal, is 19-6.
The players
Newport Harbor High School
Newport Harbor High School is a public high school in Newport Beach, California, whose boys' water polo program has reached multiple recent CIF Open Division finals.
JSerra Catholic High School
JSerra Catholic High School is a private Catholic school in San Juan Capistrano, California, known for its competitive boys' water polo program.
The details
Junior Sean Anderson and freshman Henry Tatum each scored twice for Newport Harbor, while Oaks Christian senior Josh Coxford scored three goals in the first quarter. The Sailors graduated 14 seniors from their back-to-back CIF title team, and the Saturday final will be a rematch of two earlier meetings this fall that were split.
Timeline
Oct. 2: JSerra beat Newport Harbor 10-9 in the Elite 8 tournament semifinals.
Oct. 17: Newport Harbor beat JSerra 12-7 at the North-South Challenge.
Nov. 7: Newport Harbor defeated Oaks Christian 13-8 in the CIF semifinal.
Saturday, Nov. 14: CIF Open Division title match, Newport Harbor vs. JSerra, at Mt. San Antonio College.
Season Trajectory
Newport Harbor has reached four CIF Open Division title matches in the last five seasons and eight straight overall, a run that now continues with a final against JSerra. The result keeps the program among the CIF's most consistent contenders in the Open Division.
The title match is a one-game decider, so the result will determine the CIF Open Division champion for the season. Fans planning to attend should note the Saturday date and the Mt. San Antonio College venue.
The takeaway
Newport Harbor's depth, with 14 graduated seniors replaced, has kept it in title contention, and the Saturday final will test that depth against a JSerra side that has already beaten it once this fall. Readers following local high school sports should watch the result closely.
What happens next
Newport Harbor and JSerra meet for the CIF Open Division title on Saturday, Nov. 14, at Mt. San Antonio College.
Further reading
Find more coverage in Swimming on Newport Beach sports.
