From Kale Nelson, Larry H. Miller Utah Summer Games
CEDAR CITY, Utah (April 18, 2026) – An annual tradition of the Utah water polo community took place in Cedar City over the weekend, with the state converging on the Southern Utah University campus for the ‘Larry H. Miller Utah Summer Games Water Polo tournament’.
A total of 21 teams competed for Summer Games medals across five divisions at both the J.L. Sorenson PE Building and the Cedar City Aquatic Center in the ‘Festival City’, with Cyprus winning the 18U Boys’ Division and Canyon View earning the 18U Girls’ Division gold medals. Bear River won the 14U Mixed bracket, while the Spartans program from Murray earned the 10U and 12U titles.
USG Sport Coordinator Rob Small said the tournament concluded in strong fashion, continuing to serve as an annual showcase for water polo in Utah.
“The Larry H. Miller Utah Summer Games have always been a great experience for Utah water polo teams, allowing teams to get a fun, competitive warm up for the upcoming state tournament,” he said. “We are excited to see this tournament continue and serve teams throughout Utah, but also in other states in our region.”
In the 18U Boys’ Division, Cyprus downed Utah County, 13-11, in a back-and-forth contest. Cyprus upset top-seeded Bear River in the semifinals, then hung on for the gold medal. A long-time participant in the Games, the gold medal was the first for Cyprus in USG competition.
“We’ve been coming down to the Games for a long time, and it’s great to finally win one,” said Cyprus coach Jason Hayes. “It started off rough but we saved our best games for the end, and we overcame some tough teams to win this tournament.”
On the 18U Girls’ Bracket, Canyon View powered to a controlling 11-5 win over Bear River. CV was undefeated in the event, scoring 84 goals in the tournament.
“Winning this tournament is a feeling of excitement and accomplishment,” said Canyon View coach Melanie Alger. “I think the girls worked hard for this. They worked well as a team, they tried their best, and they do everything that they can.”
A complete listing of finalists and scores for the event can be accessed on the official USG score book.
Action for the Larry H. Miller Utah Summer Games will continue on Saturday, April 25, as the Games facilitate a Girls’ Flag Football Skills Camp hosted by the Las Vegas Raiders. LHM USG will host the ‘Three Events at Three Peaks’ series on Saturday, May 2, featuring Mountain Biking, Gravel Biking, and Trail Running. All three events will serve as fundraisers for Special Olympics Utah programming in southern Utah.