Semis beckon locals

Rick Devereux

The Corona del Mar High and Estancia boys volleyball teams will

compete in CIF Southern Section semifinals tonight.

CdM (25-6) is the No. 2 seed in Division II and will face San

Marcos (16-6) at Estancia High at 7 p.m.

The Eagles (22-9) are the No. 4 seed in Division III and will

battle top-seeded Orange Lutheran (17-5) at Newport Harbor High at 7

p.m.

The Sea Kings, who had a bye in the first round, defeated El

Modena in three games in the second round and advanced past host

Villa Park in four games in the quarterfinals.

Seniors Kevin and Tom Welch have been the leaders for CdM all

year.

Tom has 34 kills in the playoffs and Kevin has 28.

The Lions answer with Jeff Menzel, who has 38 kills in the last

two matches.

San Marcos swept St. Joseph from Santa Maria in the first round

and San Luis Obispo in the second before upsetting No. 3 seed Arcadia

in five games in the quarterfinals.

Estancia, which was originally the No. 3 seed but switched due to

a conflict in the brackets, swept San Gorgonio in the first round and

Camarillo in the second before beating Beverly Hills in four games in

the quarterfinals.

Like CdM, the Eagles also boast twin outside hitters in Scott and

Shaun Markley. Scott leads the team with 38 kills in the playoffs

followed by Shaun’s 29.

Senior setter Trevor Holmes has 77 assists for Estancia and is a

threat at the net, as evidenced by his 15 kills in the first two

rounds.

Orange Lutheran swept Santa Ana Valley in the second round and

Garey in the quarterfinals after a first-round bye.

The Lancers, who Estancia defeated in four games to win the

divisional title last year, are led by Brandon Bollweg and Chris

Frey.