Under heavy clouds in the still gray night sky, “The Star-Spangled Banner” thundered through the Coggan Family Aquatic Center on Veterans Day. The last note had barely rung before the stands erupted in applause and cheers, both for the song and the action that was to come. Bishop’s players stood at the edge of the pool in white swim caps, La Jolla in black. The players jumped into the pool. The refs blew their whistles. The 2025 Water Polo CIF semifinals was underway.
The matchup on November 11th was between the Bishop’s Knights and the La Jolla High Vikings, two long-standing rivals. As the first of four seven-minute periods commenced, Bishop’s students clustered together on the lower end of the far bleachers, right beneath their La Jolla High foes.
The rivalry between the two schools exists in all facets of student life, ranging from athletics to academics. Despite the mere 0.9 miles separating the two schools, the divide was clear as the student sections threw jeers and comments like “you guys suck!” back and forth.
The Vikings, however, quickly silenced the visiting crowd after taking first possession through the opening sprint, scoring just 26 seconds into the game with an aggressive shot that Bishop’s keeper Adrian Revenco (‘27) was unable to save. The black caps quickly took advantage of the home crowd’s momentum and surged forward to a 3-0 lead after four minutes of playing time.
A parent yelled out, “We need a time out,” and the teams seemingly took the advice with three minutes and six seconds left on the clock for the first period. Given the chance to catch their breath and reorganize, both teams swam back to the center of the pool with more composure, but it was La Jolla High that utilized this more effectively as they never let up the pressure on the Knights, finishing the period with a strong 4-0 lead. “This is embarrassing,” muttered one fan who sat up from the damp bleachers wetted by the November mist.
Yet, not all hope was lost. Head of School, Mr. Ron Kim, was not discouraged, assuring that “it’s always a good matchup,” and the Vikings’ 4-0 lead didn’t seem insurmountable.
And so the second period began. The Bishop’s student section, not to mention the parent one as well, boomed with hopeful vitality, and the Knights quickly embodied it. It took a mere 19 seconds before the white caps came up with a response to their first period woes with a penalty, to which the Bishop’s fans burst out with delight, while La Jolla High students could be heard asserting that the ref had made a “bad call.” Regardless, J.T. Moss (‘26) slotted the ball past the Viking’s keeper and into the back of the net, putting Bishop’s right back in the game.
A back-and-forth dynamic between the two sides ensued, and teams exchanged shot after shot, but no goals were scored. A minute and five seconds into the second quarter, Colton Bell (‘26) finally broke the deadlock with another goal to place Bishop’s now only two goals behind their rivals. The visiting chants started to drown out the home crowd, but just as the Knights seemed to find a rhythm, La Jolla High quickly responded with two goals of their own.
Still determined, Bishop’s fought hard, returning fire with two more goals, both of which were unfortunately canceled due to fouls in the buildup. The buzzer soon sounded, and the teams headed back to their respective huddles with a 6-2 scoreline for La Jolla High looming over the Knights.
At the half, the Bishop’s fans remained unfazed. Mr. Ian Hayden, Dean of Faculty, reasoned, “There’s a lot of game left, and we really started bringing it on in the second quarter. So if we can carry that on into the second half, I think we’ve got a good shot.” Whether this optimistic prediction would take form, the last two periods would tell.
Coming out of halftime, Bishop’s refused to back down. The Knights opened the third quarter with renewed energy, supported by chants of “Let’s go Bishop’s!” from students.
La Jolla High challenged the visitors with the first goal of the period, but an energized student section persisted, and Bishop’s continuously reflected the enthusiasm with a goal from Colton Bell to make the score 7-3. Moments later, Hanrui Liu (‘28) found the net, quickly followed by Calvin Lubsen (‘26) with another goal to narrow the gap to 8-5.
The Knights’ defense grew more focused as the period progressed to earn many key possessions. At several points, Bishop’s cut the Vikings’ lead to just two goals. The tension in the pool and stands was palpable. The student section clapped and chanted louder with each goal, heating the otherwise crisp air. Fans who had arrived with drinks and snacks at the start of the game now held empty cups, their attention fully on the pool. Phones were nowhere to be seen as students and parents alike focused on the action, clapping and shouting in unison to cheer on the Knights. “Keep the pressure on! Let’s go!” students shouted.
Ayanna Hickey (‘26) commented on the team’s effort: “It’s 10-7 and we are coming back. It was 7-2 at some point, so we’re definitely coming back. We need to win — it’s an embarrassment if we don’t.” Despite Bishop’s rally, La Jolla High stayed in control, maintaining a slim lead through the third period.
The fourth period burst open with an early goal from J.T. Moss, producing a scoreline of 10-8. With just a two-point gap, Bishop’s championship hopes were suddenly within reach. “The whole team’s looking great,” said Ryland Le (‘26). “We were down by a lot, but I think we got it.” The enthusiasm was contagious. “I’m ecstatic, but I’m also a little nervous,” Ayanna admitted, “Because we may not win and we have to win.”
During the final period, La Jolla High student Martin Shomo (‘28) provided his perspective from the poolside. “I think we’re definitely going to keep the lead. I mean, one minute and 40 seconds, up four, I think we got it in the bag.” On the rivalry, he added, “I’m very nervous about losing, but I’m excited about having the chance to win.” He also acknowledged that the Vikings’ worst fears were still a possibility: “There is enough time for them to maybe come back.”
Bishop’s continued to press, but La Jolla High’s offense remained relentless. With a succession of quick goals in the final minutes, La Jolla High secured a 15-8 victory, pulling away definitively as the clock expired. Even without scoring in the final minutes, Bishop’s effort left an impression on fans and players alike.
Reflecting on the atmosphere, Mr. Hayden noted, “Rivalries always make these things lots of fun, so it’s great to have neighbors in town who are also rivals. We all share the space, and it brings up the energy.” While the loss was a tough one, it concluded a memorable and still accomplished season.
Ms. Jill Lane, parent of Jack Lane (‘27), looked back on a full four months of seeing the boys play. She has really enjoyed “just watching these young men lift each other. The highs are high and the lows are low, and they are really there for each other and really cohesive as a team.” Bishop’s determination and teamwork were evident throughout the game, even though La Jolla High ultimately won the game.
The matchup highlighted the ongoing rivalry between the two schools, with both teams competing intensely and pushing each other. And now, as the overlooking bleachers stand barren, with that hard-fought battle of the La Jollan adversaries, the 2025 Bishop’s Water Polo season has come to an end.
