The562’s coverage of aquatic sports in Long Beach in 2025-26 is sponsored by Watersafe Swim School.
The562’s coverage of Long Beach Wilson Athletics is sponsored by Joel Bitonio, Class of 2009.
In order to be the best you must compete with the best — and by that criterion, Wilson has certainly put itself back among the top water polo programs in the state.
It had been a decade since the Bruins had been featured in the top division in the CIF Southern Section, a realm where they once won 10 of their 12 CIF-SS championships. But after holding their own against some of the top talent in the state during the regular season, that’s exactly where they found themselves.
The Bruins’ spot in the Open Division this year extended their season with three challenging pool-play matchups, including games against two of the top three seeds. And while the program continues to position itself back among the top teams, Wilson’s run came to an end after three hard-fought losses, closing with a 10-6 defeat at Mira Costa on Wednesday.
“I’m super proud of my guys for even fighting to put themselves in this position,” said Wilson coach Zac Polmanteer after the game. “I was really impressed with how they stayed in the fight and didn’t quit in the fourth quarter. I recently told them about the movie The Goonies, and the Goonies never say die. We have to buy into that, and I’m proud of them for sticking it out even when it didn’t look good.”
Wilson certainly looked sizable to its opponents through pool play, showcasing its ability to hang with top teams in the state in a 13-9 loss to No. 2 Santa Margarita and a 15-10 loss to No. 3 Corona Del Mar. That resilience showed again Wednesday night, as the Bruins mounted a strong comeback effort and outscored Mira Costa 5-4 in the second half.
The Bruins were led by junior Vaughan Baker, who poured in all three of his goals in the second half including a pair in the fourth quarter. Wyatt Sprenger got Wilson on the board with a first-quarter goal, while Keegan Abing also found the back of the cage to open the second half.
“I’m nothing but impressed with the fight in my boys,” Polmanteer said. “It was the same thing in the Corona del Mar game. We’ve had great fourth quarters this year, but we’ve struggled to start games. It really bit us in the butt this time, but their ability to not quit definitely impresses me and gives me a lot of hope for our future.”
Mira Costa came out as the aggressor, with senior Kai Nelson scoring two of his four goals in the first quarter. Even when the Mustangs missed their first shot, they benefited from fortunate bounces and rebounds to open up second-chance opportunities. The Mustangs scored three goals in each of the first and second quarters and held Wilson scoreless in the second.
“They won a lot of loose balls and rebounds in the first quarter and that is always something that crushes teams,” Polmanteer said. “When you’re playing defense for two-thirds of the quarter, you might be able to keep it close for the time being but that stacks up as the game goes on and it did. Good on [Mira Costa] for shooting well and fighting for loose balls. They played with really high intensity and effort and they played us really honorably and hard.”
Aside from Nelson’s game-high four goals, Lucas Pearce and Flynn Guenther each contributed with two goals apiece for Mira Costa. Christian Stephens and Grant Anderson each had a goal, while Anderson also had himself a strong night from inside the cage at goalie.
After the game, Polmanteer was already eager to start working with his boys in the upcoming aquatics season. Even with the success the team has had this year he believes it’s just something to build on, especially with only a small senior class graduating next year.
“My brain is already on swim season and club season, and we’re always looking for ways to improve,” he said. “I already know which parts of film I’m watching tonight, so all I can do is hold myself accountable as a coach. These boys have taught me so much this year. Their refusal to quit and reliability, even when it gives me a heart attack, it impresses me every time, and win or lose they’re just so fun to coach.”
