Turbo Cup Recap

Over the weekend of March 1-2, 2025 Northwest Water Polo Club went down to water polo hot-spot Irvine, CA to participate in the annual Turbo Cup. Northwest sent 4 teams which included a 12u CoEd team, a 14u Boys team, a 16u Boys team, and an 18u Boys team. In the space of two days, the 4 teams competed in 17 games against high-level California competition.

12u CoEd

The always-enthusiastic 12u group came ready to play some California water polo. Not to be intimidated, the team started off with a big win against Loyola Water Polo Club 13-6. In their second game, the 12u's met powerhouse team LA Water Polo Club and despite putting up a good fight, the team eventually fell 4-14. The next game saw the 12u team bring the energy and fight against a feisty Sand Canyon team. Despite a back-and-forth affair, the team ended up losing 9-10. In their last game of the tournament, Northwest faced-off against Costa Mesa with Costa Mesa's experience eventually overcoming a tenacious Northwest team. We'd like to congratulate the 12u team on their perseverance, hard-work, and fantastic attitudes during a fun weekend of games. Despite it being a “first-ever” California tournament for some of the players in the group, the team never backed down and played some exciting water polo. We are excited to see what the future brings for this young group of Northwest athletes.

14u Boys

The Northwest 14u Boys came into Turbo Cup hungry and ready to play. This bright and up-and-coming group of players matched up against some tough opponents in Newport Beach, Backbay, Riverside, and Orange County. Despite putting up close matches against Riverside and Orange County, the Northwest 14u Boys eventually fell to the veteran teams. Throughout the weekend, the 14u boys maintained their positive attitudes, enthusiasm for the game, and voracity to get better. With every tournament the team grows stronger, more confident, and capable. We are excited to see the development of this team as they continue throughout the year.

16u Boys

The Northwest 16u Boys started off the tournament in the platinum bracket of Turbo Cup against tough opponents Trojan Cardinal and SOCAL Black. Although the team worked hard throughout the two games, they came up just short, dropping both contests. After facing back-to-back losses, the group showed true Northwest character bouncing back against opponents Hieland with a secure 11-7 win. Continuing the momentum, the team put up a defensive masterclass against Trojan Gold holding their opponents to only 3 goals in a 5-3 victory. The Northwest 16u Boys made the PNW proud by putting up a 2-2 record in the platinum bracket of Turbo Cup. Their potential is limitless and with the rest of the year to prepare for Junior Olympics, we are excited to see how they continue to compete with the best in the nation.

18u Boys

Much like their 16u brethren, the 18u boys entered the platinum bracket of the Turbo Cup. Facing off against Long Beach in their first game, a youthful Northwest team battled through 4 quarters of tense action. Although the boys kept it close throughout the game, Long Beach's experience eventually paid off with Northwest dropping the game 8-9. In the second game of the tournament, the team met a well-established Vanguard team. Shrugging off the previous result, the team put forth an almost-perfect performance holding their opponents to 4 goals while relying on their rolling offense to put in 11 goals. This win put them in the top 4 of the tournament. In the top-four round robin bracket, Northwest faced off against local teams BOA Red, BOA White, and Long Beach (again). The team outlasted BOA Red with a 9-7 victory, fell to BOA white 6-11, and in a rematch against Long Beach, fell 5-11. Despite dropping some close games, the Northwest 18's showcased their ability to battle through adversity, grind against tough opponents, and produce moments of magic under pressure. We can't to see what this group accomplishes in their next few tournaments as we march toward Junior Olympics.

We'd like to congratulate all the Northwest athletes that participated in the most recent iteration of Turbo Cup. All the teams put forth competitive efforts while picking up invaluable experience that will help them achieve their goals (both in and out of the water) at the next level. We are excited to see our Northwest athletes continue to grow both as water polo players and human beings. And we can't wait for the next round of games to showcase our skills!