Sultans, Scotties surge into league

2026 EAST COUNTY PREP BOYS WATER POLO

Four Grossmont Conference teams enter October among county’s computer-rated top 25

EastCountySports.com staff report

The opening six weeks of the boys water polo season have established East County as one of the deepest areas in the San Diego Section.

Helix and Santana are rated among the county’s top five teams, Valhalla and Granite Hills have joined them in the computer top 25, and El Capitan has assembled the best overall record in the coverage area.

Santana provided East County’s strongest run from Sept. 21 through the opening of Grossmont Conference competition, winning three consecutive games to improve to 12-5 overall.

The fifth-rated Sultans edged ninth-rated Canyon Crest Academy, 15-14, defeated Grossmont, 13-12, and then opened Grossmont Hills League play with a convincing 17-5 victory over Steele Canyon.

Santana has won seven of its last nine games. Four of those victories have been decided by three goals or fewer, including one-goal decisions over Mater Dei, Canyon Crest Academy and Grossmont.

The Sultans’ only losses during that stretch came by one goal against Corona del Mar and Huntington Beach.

HELIX HANDLES TOURNAMENT TEST

Fourth-rated Helix returned from an extended break to play five games in four days.

After sixth-rated Poway defeated the Scotties, 12-10, Helix responded with tournament victories over St. John Bosco, 11-7, and Sage Hill, 10-4.

The Scotties added a 9-8 victory over Buena before falling to Yucaipa, 14-7.

Helix emerged from the stretch with a 10-4 record and three victories against Southern California opponents.

The Scotties are scheduled to open Grossmont Hills League competition Friday at Grossmont.

GRANITE HILLS WINS FOUR STRAIGHT

Granite Hills produced the area’s longest active winning streak by following a 13-10 loss to Westview with four consecutive victories.

The Eagles defeated Bonita Vista, 12-3, and slipped past Hilltop, 12-11, during tournament play. Granite Hills then defeated Steele Canyon, 8-4, before opening Grossmont Valley League play with a 12-5 victory over Mount Miguel.

The surge improved the 22nd-rated Eagles to 5-4 after a 1-4 start.

Granite Hills’ improvement gives the Grossmont Conference four teams in the county’s computer-rated top 25: No. 4 Helix, No. 5 Santana, No. 16 Valhalla and No. 22 Granite Hills.

EL CAPITAN REACHES 12 WINS

El Capitan continued to compile victories during a 4-1 stretch that improved the Vaqueros to 12-3 overall.

El Capitan defeated Monte Vista, 17-6, Scripps Ranch, 13-8, and Clairemont, 10-8. Its only loss came in a 9-8 decision against Mar Vista.

The Vaqueros then opened Grossmont Valley League play with a 17-4 victory over Mount Miguel.

El Capitan has won eight of its last nine reported games and has scored at least 10 goals in 11 of its 12 victories.

STEELE CANYON BREAKS THROUGH

Steele Canyon entered the stretch searching for its first victory and came away with three.

The Cougars defeated West Hills, 14-6, and Sage Creek, 15-5, on the same day before adding an 8-5 victory over Clairemont.

Granite Hills ended the run with an 8-4 decision, and Santana defeated Steele Canyon in the Cougars’ league opener.

Steele Canyon entered October with a 3-4 record after beginning the season with losses to Granite Hills and Mission Bay.

POWAY, PATRIOTS AND BULLDOGS PRODUCE

The expanded EastCountySports.com coverage area also supplied several notable performances.

Sixth-rated Poway defeated Helix, 12-10, and Oceanside, 14-8, to improve to 9-6.

Patrick Henry won four of six games during the catch-up period. The 17th-rated Patriots routed University City, 23-6, and La Salle, 19-5, before defeating Downey, 15-14, and Great Oak, 13-10.

Patrick Henry’s losses came against Canyon Crest Academy and Mission Bay. The Patriots entered October with a 7-6 record.

Ramona won five of six games to improve to 10-4.

The 24th-rated Bulldogs defeated Classical Academy, Birmingham, Diamond Bar, Morro Bay and Sage Creek. Ramona’s 12-11 victory over Morro Bay was its closest decision during the stretch.

VALHALLA CELEBRATES UNDEFEATED TEAM

Valhalla followed a 15-12 loss to Torrey Pines with a 21-11 victory over Canyon Hills. The 16th-rated Norsemen entered their scheduled league opener against Grossmont with an 8-9 record.

A final score from the Sept. 30 Grossmont-Valhalla game had not been reported. It was the anniversary celebration of Valhalla’s undefeated team from 1996.

Grossmont’s only reported game during the catch-up period was a competitive 13-12 loss to Santana.

West Hills recorded victories over Mater Dei Catholic, 14-8, and Otay Ranch, 13-5, while Canyon Hills dropped a one-goal decision to High Tech San Diego, 13-12.

The results leave East County with two top-five teams, four Grossmont Conference teams inside the computer-rated county top 25 and five area programs with at least nine victories as conference competition begins to take control of the schedule.

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