LAMORINDA WEEKLY | USA Water Polo Cadet National Team Wins Gold in Serbia


Tom McGuire (left) a sophomore at Campolindo High School, Mark Laurlund (right) a freshman at Monte Vista High School. Photo Stewart McGuire

Tom McGuire, an incoming sophomore at Campolindo High School and Mark Laurlund, an incoming freshman at Monte Vista High School, helped the U.S. Men's Cadet National Team win the gold medal at the Darko Cukic Memorial Tournament in Belgrade, Serbia, with a 9-6 win over Croatia on Aug. 20.

This was a historic win for a U.S. National Team in an international tournament. The tournament is considered the unofficial world championships for the Cadet National Team, which went undefeated through seven games, competing against some powerhouse teams such as Serbia and the Netherlands. This was the first time Team USA has finished first in the tournament, which began in 2007. The last time a U.S. national or Olympic team beat Serbia was in 2008.

Of the 14-man roster, Laurlund and McGuire were the only Northern California players selected to travel to Serbia; the rest were from Southern California.