SOUTHERN SECTION VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS : Coach’s Current, Former Teams to Meet in Division I Title Match

Two years ago, Lance Stewart coached Laguna Beach outside hitter Rachel Wacholder. Tonight, he’ll be coaching against Wacholder and his former team.

Stewart is now coach of top-seeded Corona del Mar, which meets third-seeded Laguna Beach in the Southern Section Division I championship match at 8:15 p.m. at Cerritos College. He coached two-plus seasons at Laguna Beach, leading the Artists to consecutive Pacific Coast League titles.

Corona del Mar (19-0), top-ranked in USA Today’s national poll, is trying for its second section title in three seasons. Defending section champion Laguna Beach (20-1) is trying to win its third title in school history.

Outside hitters Lori Newcomer and Jennifer Stroffe lead a balanced Corona del Mar attack. Laguna Beach relies heavily on Wacholder, The Times’ Orange County player of the year last season, and junior outside hitter Hilary Kyle.

Unseeded Sunny Hills (19-1) plays unseeded Torrance Bishop Montgomery (15-3) in the Division II finals at 6:15 p.m.

Bishop Montgomery, which eliminated Huntington Beach in a five-game semifinal match, is playing in its first final. Sunny Hills, which won the section 3-A (now Division III) title in 1988, is led by senior Rachel Hochgesang.

In Division V, top-seeded and defending State champion Capistrano Valley Christian (18-0) will play second-seeded LA Baptist (18-0) in a 9:30 a.m. match. Capistrano Valley Christian is led by two of the state’s top outside hitters, Kathleen Bunce and Karen Benkovsky.