Sports

Murrieta Valley survives CIF water polo opener, Mesa eliminated

A water polo ball resting on the surface of a bright blue pool. — A water polo ball floats in a swimming pool. AI-generated illustration / Surround Sound Media

By Murrieta Times staff · October 30, 2026 · 1 min read

Murrieta Valley held off San Marino 14-13 on Thursday, Oct. 29, to advance in the CIF Southern Section Division 2 boys water polo playoffs.

The Nighthawks needed every goal. The one-point margin was the tightest among posted Division 2 results that night, according to IE Varsity's playoff scoreboard published by the Press Enterprise.

The win improved Murrieta Valley to 26-7 overall. The Nighthawks went 6-0 in league play during the regular season, according to MaxPreps.

Now comes a stiffer test. Murrieta Valley drew top-seeded Palos Verdes (20-8) in the second round. The Sea Kings cruised past Roosevelt 23-8 in their own first-round game, according to the Daily Breeze.

Murrieta Mesa's season ends

Across town, Murrieta Mesa traveled to Rancho Cucamonga and lost 8-6 to Los Osos in the Division 3 first round. The defeat ended the Rams' season.

No individual scoring statistics or coach comments were available from either game as of publication.

What's next

Murrieta Valley hosts Palos Verdes at 5 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 3, with a spot in the next round on the line.

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Angela Yamamoto

Angela Yamamoto

Editor

Angela Yamamoto is an editor with a broadcast journalism background, and is passionate about stories that inform and connect. She started as a TV producer, anchor, and reporter at NBC16 in her hometown of Eugene, Oregon, covering breaking news and community features. A stint producing national news in New York City made her realize she missed community-focused storytelling, bringing her back to her roots.

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