The Mater Dei boys water polo team is the two-time defending champion of the SB Invitational.
Water polo fans can watch the top boys high school team in the country? Thursday as five-time defending CIF champion Mater Dei visits Dos Pueblos for a tune-up game before this weekend?s Santa Barbara Inviitational.
The Monarchs and Chargers play at 3 p.m. at the Elings Aquatics Center.
Mater Dei has won three straight Division 1 titles and captured Division 2? crowns in 2009 and 2008. The Monarchs are coached by former DP star and U.S.? Olympian Chris Segesman. His star players are the Walters brothers, senior James and junior Jon. James has committed to USC while Jon has given a verbal commitment to the Trojans.
Dos Pueblos is led by junior Blake Parrish, who won a silver medal playing for Team USA at the Junior Pan American Games in Argentina this summer.
Also on Thursday, Santa Barbara High hosts Laguna Beach, the No. 4 team in CIF Division 2.
Friday and Saturday?s SB Inviitational features a power-packed lineup of ?16 teams. Five of the top six teams in Division 1 are entered: No. 1 Mater Dei, No. 2 Harvard Westlake, No. 3 Newport Harbor , No. 5 Dana Hills and? No. 6 Loyola.
From Division 2, there?s defending champion and top-ranked Agoura, No. 2 Murietta Valley ?and No. 4 Laguna Beach. DP is fifth.
Also entered is Los Osos, the top-ranked team in Division 4, San Diego Section top-rated Cathedral Catholic, and Northern California powers St. Francis, Sacred Heart, Acalanes and Miramonte.
Pool play games begin Friday at noon at Dos Pueblos and Santa Barbara. DP is in Pool ?A with Mater Dei, Laguna Beach and St. Francis. Santa Barbara plays in Pool B with Harvard Westlake,? Sacred Heart and Newport Harbor.
The Dons open against Harvard Westlake at noon at their pool. DP faces Laguna Beach at 1 p.m. at? the Elings Aquatic Center.
The tournament final will be at Elings at 1:25 p.m. on Saturday.
