Turnbow-Lindenstadt wins gold

Newport Beach resident Connor Turnbow-Lindenstadt led his SOCAL 12-and-under boys' teammates to the USA Water Polo Junior Olympics title in Irvine, scoring six goals in a decisive 12-4 victory over Foothill Water Polo Club on Aug. 2.

SOCAL won its seven games by outscoring its opponents by a combined 109-39, in a field of 48 teams from throughout the U.S. members of the SOCAL championship team included Campbell Gorlinsky, Jack Denny, Mason Reynoso, Brock Peterson, Zane Scott, Brett Leitner, Nicky Ure, Nolan Ortega, Jack Weggeland, Ethan Glasser and J.T. Miller.

Turnbow-Lindenstadt will be an eighth-grader at Corona del Mar Middle School. SOCAL is coached by Newport Beach resident Paden Mitchell, who is in his third year with the team and helped SOCAL improve from last year's third-place finish.

— Reader submission

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Anteater Club excels at JOs

The Corona del Mar-based Anteater Water Polo Club had a big showing at the 42nd annual USA Water Polo boys' Junior Olympics, which were held at 27 different pool site venues throughout Orange County July 30 through Aug. 2.

The mixed 10-and-under Anteater team had a spectacular tournament, ending the four-day tournament ranked No. 3 in the nation. The road to their third-place ranking included a 12-6 win over Laguna, an 11-2 victory against Davis, an 11-7 win against Santa Barbara, an 8-6 win over the 680 Drivers from Walnut Creek, and two wins against the Elite Water Polo Club from Murrieta – an 11-9 win and a 9-6 victory in the third-place match. The only loss of the tournament was in a shootout against eventual tournament winner United. The score was tied 6-6 at the end of regulation, and United was able to win in the shootout by a score of 3-2.

Coached by Jesse Briggs and Marc Hunt, the under-10 Anteater roster included Triton Scott, Warren Loth, Connor McManigal, Kaveh Moaddeli, Michael Paduano, Shane Papa, Grant Loth, Spencer Wardwell, Sophie Wallace, Brannon Syler, Caden Strauss, Jonathan Lefebvre, Makana Sanita, Cole Fisher and Justin Cottrell.

The 12-and-under boys' Anteater squad also had a successful tournament, ending ninth in the gold division. The Anteaters finished the four days with a 15-10 win over the North San Diego Stars, an 18-8 victory over the Olimpiakan Reservner Water Polo Club Titans from Glendale, a 10-9 win against CC United of the East Bay and a shootout victory of 6-6 (4-1 in the shootout) against American River Water Polo Club of Sacramento.