Boys volleyball: CdM battles Santa Margarita

Barry Faulkner

NEWPORT BEACH - They used to share the same league. Now, Sea View

League castoffs Corona del Mar High and Santa Margarita only share the

same goal.

Tonight at 7 o’clock, they will share the same court, battling one

another in the CIF Southern Section Division I semifinals at Newport

Harbor High.

“We’re excited to be hosting the match at a great volleyball gym,” CdM

Coach Steve Conti said. “Our kids are pretty fired up to be playing (at

Harbor) and against Santa Margarita for the chance to get back to the

finals.”

The No. 3-seeded Sea Kings (20-1) are the only seeded entry left in the

Division I bracket. Last year’s Division I runners-up, who won the

Pacific Coast League crown, have already defeated Serra League champion

Santa Margarita twice in tournament play this spring.

“We beat them two straight in the Orange County tournament, 15-6, 15-0,

but their best hitter was just coming off a shoulder injury and he didn’t

hit,” Conti said.

“We met them in the semifinals of the Santa Barbara tournament when they

were much healthier. We beat them three straight (15-10, 17-15, 15-11)

but it was pretty much a battle.”

The Eagles (15-5) were ahead in each game in their second meeting and

Conti expects anything but another sweep tonight.

“(Santa Margarita Coach and former Newport Harbor assistant) Eddie Rapp

usually has them playing their best volleyball at the end of the season.”

The Eagles exemplified that with an 11-15, 15-8, 16-14, 9-15, 15-3

quarterfinal upset of No. 2-seeded Irvine.

Junior Blake Robinson, whom Conti said lives in the CdM attendance area,

had a team-high 29 kills and 19 digs for Santa Margarita Friday. Junior

Damian Scott added 19 kills, followed by John Costignan (16) and Reid

Bradshaw (15). Setter Vince Prieto amassed 88 assists.

CdM, led by Stanford-bound senior setter Kevin Hansen, has swept playoff

foes Capistrano Valley, Channel Islands and El Toro, yet another former

Sea View rival.

Senior Greg Stampley, whom Conti said may be the most complete outside

hitter in Orange County, led the CdM hitting attack with 34 kills in the

quarterfinal.

Alec Hanson, Charlie Alshuler and Forrest Mack all chipped in 16 kills

against El Toro, a victory which exceedingly pleased Conti.

“Beating El Toro in three straight on the road was impressive and I liked

the way we controlled the tempo,” Conti said. “But I thought we eased up

a little in the third game and I told our guys we need to keep going for

the jugular.”

Conti likes the size matchup with Santa Margarita and believes whoever

serves and passes most effectively, will advance to the title match.

“Their game plan is to serve us real tough and play real scrappy

defense,” Conti said. “Those are the same things we try to emphasize. If

we pass like we did Friday, it could be hard to beat us.”

A win would give CdM a trip to its fourth straight section title match.

The Sea Kings lost in the 1997 Division III final, won the Division III

crown in ’98 and lost to Newport Harbor in last year’s Division I title

showdown.

Santa Margarita won the Divison I crown in ’98 and was the Division II

champion in ’97. The Eagles, victims of the rugged Sea View grind, did

not make the playoffs last spring.

Tonight’s winner will meet either Newport Harbor or Mira Costa in

Saturday’s championship match at Cypress College.