Here are Cincinnati water polo players, storylines to know for the 2024 season

Catch a bit of a water polo bug during the Summer Olympics ? Don't worry, Ohio boys and girls water polo season can carry you through the fall.

Before the clock starts ticking away on the high school season, here are some of the players and stories to know by team, listed in alphabetical order.

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Mason

The Mason boys were alive on the final weekend of last season's state tournament, finishing in the state's top four. Since then, they've graduated state Player of the Year Andrei Khudiakov and Ryan Roth, who was the state Goalie of the Year. Look for juniors Yassin Ghobril and Marco DiLoreto to take over the Comets on the race back to the Final Four.

Like their counterparts, the Mason girls were also playing into deep playoff runs, finishing in the top four of the state. For new head coach Savannah Cross, the Comets bring back experienced members in the playoff run in seniors Mariam NDiaye and Jesse Paley.

Mavericks

The Cincinnati Mavericks club team offers a girls water polo opportunity for students without a school program and consistently brings a successful team to the table.

Standout Rachell Hemmila has been named Goalie of the Year multiple times, but will switch positions for her senior season out in the field. Maggie Malec will take over as goalie after training for the position throughout the summer.

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Mavericks head coach Elyse Spraul also other players to watch are senior Abby McCauley and junior Cameron Kilimnik, who was selected to attend the National Team Selection Camp.

Milford

An exciting season could be on the way for Milford with a potential player-of-the-year candidate on the team in Jackson Connor with fellow senior Will Lindley bolstering the lineup.

The Milford girls will have experience back in senior goalie Ava Blevins, but freshman Maddie House can shake things up in the area. House competed in the Junior Olympics and was the leading scorer for her team.

Princeton

Princeton has had much success in recent history, but the 2024 teams will again have to deal with coaching changes and the graduation of most of the girls' starting lineup.

For the boys, seniors Caleb Thompson and Max Schutte are players to watch while Meredith Ehlerding and Charlotte Solomon return for the girls.

St. Xavier

The Bombers will have a new head coach in Ben Dawson this season, but his transition into the head coaching role will be helped by several returning starters and contributors from last season's team that fell in the state quarterfinals to Upper Arlington.

St. Xavier returns multiple high-impact players, including Sam Franke, Liam Bien and Josh Garza who had all-city honors last year with Franke named second team. More returning seniors include Jaron Dimaculangon, Petey Wilkins, Will Moran, Ryan Schoemb and Thomas Pitstick.

The season opens for St. Xavier in home waters in the St. Xavier Invitational on Aug. 10 before traveling to Walnut Hills and Mason.

Sycamore

Last season, the Sycamore girls water polo squad finished second in the state. While they try and get back to the final game of the year, the boys have confidence that they have the firepower to do the same.

"The team is picking up right where we left off last year with four of seven main varsity starters returning and a solid group of up-and-coming new varsity talent ready to bring (Sycamore) back to the state championship," Sycamore boys head coach Nicholas Hellwig said.

Hellwig also noted three notable contributors who could make Sycamore one of the state's top teams. Senior goalie Cole Dowden was the team MVP after blocking 273 shots, also earning second-team All-Ohio honors. Senior perimeter attackers Evan Preissler and Grant Carmody were also second-team All-Ohio last year and (along with Dowden and three others) have recently competed in the Junior Olympics.

The Sycamore girls return senior Tia Fidanza who was an honorable mention in the state last year as well as standout goalie Isabelle Shade.

Walnut Hills

Both Walnut Hills squads will be anchored by some standout returners.

For the boys, head coach Dave Matulis will have Malcolm Stocker back as goalie with 191 career blocks on his record. Both Ernie Manders and Emmett Royalty return for their junior campaigns. Manders led the team in goals and drawn ejections, setting the school record in the latter. Royalty was the king in field blocks and assists, also setting school records in both.

For the girls, Jada Scharff and Coral Morehouse should be top returners.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Here are Cincinnati water polo players, storylines to know for the 2024 season