St. Xavier Takes State Runner-Up in Water Polo
St. Xavier finished second at the Ohio boys water polo state tournament, losing to Upper Arlington in the finals.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Swimming
St. Xavier finished as state runner-up in Ohio boys water polo after losing 11-6 to Upper Arlington in the finals. Sycamore claimed third place with a 16-12 win over Thomas Worthington.
Why it matters
St. Xavier's first state finals appearance since 2016 marks a notable return to the championship round for the program. The result closes a 22-16-1 season for the Bombers.
Sycamore senior Ciaran Skinner set a new single-season goal record with 163 goals and scored 18 goals across four tournament games. St. Xavier finished its season at 22-16-1 overall.
The players
Ciaran Skinner
Sycamore senior who set a new single-season Ohio goal record with 163 goals this season.
St. Xavier
Cincinnati-area boys high school program whose water polo team finished as state runner-up this year.
Upper Arlington
Columbus-area high school whose water polo team defeated St. Xavier 11-6 to win the state title.
The details
St. Xavier double-teamed Sycamore's Ciaran Skinner on defense and used a balanced offense in which six players scored to advance past Sycamore 19-14 in the semifinals. In the third-place match, Sycamore pulled away in the final quarter to beat Thomas Worthington 16-12 after a physical game that saw two key Thomas Worthington players foul out or get ejected.
Timeline
- October 31, 2026: The Ohio state water polo tournament was held at Sycamore High School.
Season Trajectory
St. Xavier's return to the state finals for the first time since 2016 places the program back among Ohio's top boys water polo teams after a decade-long gap. Sycamore's record-setting season and third-place finish show the state's competitive depth beyond the championship pairing.
Ciaran Skinner's record 163 goals will be the benchmark for Ohio high school water polo scoring going forward. Fans tracking Ohio high school water polo should note that Sycamore's third-place finish and Skinner's record season are now part of the state's season archive.
The takeaway
Strong defense and balanced scoring carried both St. Xavier and Sycamore deep into the tournament. Teams facing a dominant scorer like Skinner can limit his impact by committing multiple defenders while spreading the offensive load.
Further reading
For more on Ohio's aquatic sports coverage, see Swimming in Ohio.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Cincinnati.
