Jacob Taff
Goalie Jacob Taff has been key to Carpinteria’s success in boys water polo this season. The Warriors are the No. 1 seed in the Division 5 playoff bracket. (Rosana Swing photo)

Carpinteria received a No. 1 seed and Santa Barbara High a No. 3 in their respective divisions for the CIF-SS boys water polo playoffs.

The Warriors top the Division 5 bracket after going 19-4 and winning the Citrus Coast League. Their season includes wins over Division 1 playoff team Dos Pueblos, Division 4 second seed Camarillo and Division 5 third seed Buena.

Channel League-champion Santa Barbara (18-12) is third-seeded in Division 1 behind Loyola and Los Alamitos.

The water polo playoff committee took the top-eight teams from the final Division 1 poll and placed them in an Open Division and put the next 18 teams in Division 1. 

Dos Pueblos is among them the 18 teams and will play a wild-card match. The Chargers (10-13, Channel League No. 3) will be home against Corona del Mar (14-12, Surf at-large) on Tuesday, Nov. 2. The winner faces Loyola (11-16) on Wednesday in the first round.

Loyola finished second behind Open Division selection Harvard Westlake in the Mission League.

Santa Barbara plays a first-round game at home on Wednesday against Dana Hills (15-9).

The last time there were boys water polo playoffs in 2019, the Dons won the Division 3 title.

San Marcos (17-12, Channel League No. 2) is in the 30-team Division 2 playoff bracket and opens on the road Tuesday at South Pasadena (13-5, Rio Hondo No. 1).

Carpinteria received a first-round bye in the 27-team Division 5 bracket and will play a second-round game at home against either Ramona (14-9) or Palm Springs (13-10) on Thursday, Nov. 4.

Avatar photo

Barry Punzal, Noozhawk Sports Editor

— Noozhawk sports editor Barry Punzal can be reached at bpunzal@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk Sports on Twitter: @NoozhawkSports. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.