ORANGE COUNTY BOYS OUTSTANDING COMPETITOR 2025-26
This award recognizes an Orange County athlete who was a standout in multiple sports, a team leader and someone who also excelled in areas outside of sports.
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Name: Connor Ohl
School: Newport Harbor
Year: Senior
Sports: Water polo, swimming
Notable highlights: Connor Ohl was All-Orange County first team in water polo and a Sunset League MVP. Ohl helped the Sailors win a second straight CIF Southern Section Open Division championship. Newport Harbor beat rival Corona del Mar, 10-3, in the division final.
Of course, beating Corona del Mar in a game of that importance resonated for Ohl.
“Everybody is going to be playing their hardest, playing their hearts out,” Ohl said. “To get a win in that fashion, during a game like this, it’s just incredible.”
Earlier in the season Ohl scored a match-high four goals to lead the Sailors to a 13-7 league win over the Sea Kings.
Ohl scored three goals in the CIF Southern California Regional Division I final in which Newport Harbor defeated Cathedral Catholic, 14-12.
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“Connor fills the stat sheet,” said Newport Harbor water polo coach Ross Sinclair. “But he also does so much that doesn’t show up on the stat sheet, so many things he does away from the ball.”
During the swimming season, Ohl won the 50- and 100-yard freestyle races in Orange County-leading times in the Sunset League finals. Ohl finished the 50 in 19.90 seconds. That was the best time in the county at that distance this season.
Ohl’s time in the 100 at the league meet was 44.08 seconds, breaking the meet record set by Olympian Tom Shields for Edison in 2009. That 44.08 also was a county-leading time.
Ohl continued to impress Sinclair, who is also Newport Harbor’s swimming coach.
“Connor’s just a freak athlete,” said Sinclair, who has coached many elite athletes at Newport Harbor. “From a physical standpoint, he’s got it all. And he’s ultra-competitive, ultra-motivated, but he’s still a humble guy.”
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Ohl committed to Stanford for water polo. He plays on the USA national team.