What a difference a year has made for the Turul Water Polo Academy.
Formerly the Ripon Renegades, the club has seen enough growth since the rebrand that it has had to expand to practice facilities out of the area to accommodate its young athletes.
Turul WPA was represented in seven different age divisions during the three-week California Super League earlier this month after fielding four total teams last year. The CSL was hosted at various sites up and down the Central Valley, including at Ripon High’s Ervin Zador Aquatic Center.
Some Turul members joined forces with Central Valley United to field teams in two age groups. The 16U boys, playing under the CVU banner, went undefeated in North Conference play and won their first eight games until dropping the championship match to Kern Premier 12-9 at Enochs High of Modesto on Jan. 17.
Koury’s 14U girls went 7-2 overall. They took first in the North Conference but opened championship weekend at Merced College on Jan. 17 with an 8-3 loss to South Valley Aquatics (SOVA) of Visalia in the quarterfinals. Turul rebounded by pasting Sac Polo 10-2 in the consolation semifinals and held off Stockton’s Big Valley Water Polo Academy in the fifth-place game, 8-5.
The Turul Black coed 12U team also placed fifth in its age group, going 5-4 and squeaking
The 10U coed team took in players from CVU and finished in fifth place after outlasting the Tritons 16-15 on Jan. 18 at Atwater High.
Turul’s 19U girls took fifth by beating SOVA 9-5 in their last game of the event Jan. 17 at Merced College.
Turul WPA offers training in Ripon, Turlock and Oakdale. Athletes from all over San Joaquin and Stanislaus counties are welcome.
For more information, follow the team on Instagram @turul_wpa, or email turulwpa@yahoo.com.
