Warrender are under-16 water polo champions

January 23, 2025 4:52 pm

Warrender, from Edinburgh, were the dominant club when the male 2010+ age group water polo championships took place in Stirling – adding to the success of their women’s team a week earlier.

Warrender Gold took their title from Dunfermline with another Capital outfit, Stingrays, third.

On the individual front Bram Stenhouse was named Most Valuable Player of the tournament while his club-mate, Theo Naumov, was top goal keeper.

Caleb Wilson (Stirling) was top goal scorer.

Warrender Gold coach Nick Hendrie said: “The boys did brilliantly. It was a well deserved win with some real standout examples of teamwork at its finest.”

Goalkeeping prize winner Theo Naumov said: “From the first match with the penalty shoot-out to the finals, it was a struggle – mentally and physically. I am mighty proud of my team and I am honoured to be a part of it. From all my five years of playing water polo, I haven’t won a single trophy, so it was an astonishment hearing the host, Neal Rayner, calling out my name for the best under-16 keeper. This moment will motivate me throughout the year.”

MVP Bram Stenhouse said: “Everyone worked really well together as a team and Theo did an incredible job in goal.”

Organiser Neal Rayner set the tournament up two years ago to give under 15 players more opportunities to compete having noted that more Scottish clubs compete in this age group than they have in any other over the past 20 years.

He said: “The Warrender boys played spectacularly well as a team and dominated a very good Dunfermline team 14-6 in the final. The surprise of the tournament was West Edinburgh’s Stingrays, the newest (water) polo club in Scotland, getting bronze beating the powerful Stirling club 11-8.”

Other participating teams were Warrender Platinum, Portobello, Menzieshill Whitehall, Stirling and Western.
The winning Warrender squad – Theo Naumov, Wilf Braban, Arthur Mathews, Toby High, Ross Gellatly, Bram Stenhouse, Ben Maclean, Matthew Cox, Lucas Ng, Charlie Grey. Head coach – Nick Hendrie.
In the girls tournament held a week previously Warrender also took their second straight Championship in this age group with a comeback 7-4 win over Menzieshill Whitehall. Dunfermline beat Portobello for the Bronze 11-4. Warrender’s Emily Lake was tournament MVP. Top scorer was Ava Thornton with her Dunfermline colleague Eve Fielding top goalkeeper.