CIF SOUTHERN SECTION BOYS’ VOLLEYBALL SEMIFINALS:

NEWPORT BEACH — Like father, like son.

Almost for Bruce Caldwell and his son Kyle.

Bruce literally sat on the edge of his seat watching Kyle star on the same volleyball court he did back for the Newport Harbor High boys’ team in 1980.

A lot was on the line against Santa Margarita. Kyle finally let dad breathe easier. He lifted a fist at the end, signaling to Bruce that he’s about to catch him.

The versatile senior led the Sailors to the CIF Southern Section Division I championship match after Newport Harbor swept Santa Margarita, 25-22, 25-20, 25-16, in the semifinals Wednesday night.

The three games in front of a raucous crowd looked so effortless for No. 1-seeded Newport Harbor (31-3).

In the previous three years, nothing has really come easy to Caldwell and the senior-laden Sailors in the playoffs. Early exits have ended Caldwell’s childhood dream of playing in the section title and claiming it like his father did in 1980.

“It’s really cool to follow in his footsteps,” said Caldwell, a 6-foot-8 setter considered the top high school volleyball player in the country.

If you caught Caldwell way before the start of the match, before hundreds of fans packed the gym, you wouldn’t have thought he was the star heading to UCLA next season. More like an equipment manager.

Newport Harbor Coach Dan Glenn said Caldwell brought out the referee stand. Nearby, Glenn said another standout player, USC-bound senior opposite Tucker Peleuses, put up the pads on the posts.

“The last time they did that was their freshmen year,” Glenn said. “I think the seniors really realized that this was their last [match] in this gym.”

Glenn, the longtime coach, made sure the Sailors knew beforehand. He told them.

In return, the players reacted as if this was the final match of their careers. They executed in all facets, from passing, blocking, digging, serving and hitting. Never has Glenn said he’s seen his team excel so high during this playoff run.

Newport Harbor made sure it qualified for its seventh title match in the program’s history. Everyone contributed to the Sailors winning their 21 straight match, allowing them to play No. 2 Manhattan Beach Mira Costa (30-5) Saturday for the championship at Cal State Dominguez Hills at 7:30 p.m.

“It feels so good,” said Caldwell, who had three digs, two kills and a block. “The seniors worked four years for this. We came out here and the fans came out and helped us out big time, like 200 students [in a section] just cheering us on.”

The fans had a lot to buzz about against No. 4 Santa Margarita (5-33), especially in Game 2, with the match tied at 19-19.

Senior Mark Liebermann delivered in the clutch with his serve. The UC Santa Barbara-bound outside hitter reeled off four consecutive points to put it away and give Newport Harbor the edge going into Game 3, where it jumped out to a 7-1 lead and never looked back.

Liebermann, who recorded eight kills, four blocks and three aces, said he preferred to play Loyola of Los Angeles, which was swept by Mira Costa Wednesday, “just because we haven’t played [the Cubs] yet.”

“I don’t think it matters,” Liebermann said.

The way the Sailors are playing, they haven’t dropped a match since mid-March, they’re the team to beat.

Newport Harbor has already beaten Mira Costa, but Glenn said this one will prove to be more of a challenge.

“We’re in the comfort zone,” he said of playing at home against Mira Costa earlier this season. “Saturday will be a whole different feel. I’m hoping that the [recent] match at the Bren [Events] Center helped [us] playing in that big arena, because now it’s something like that at Dominguez.”

The bigger the stage the better for Caldwell, who before the season matched one of his dad’s accomplishments by being named the Sunset League Player of the Year in boys’ basketball.

Now it’s another goal. The one he’s been looking forward to since he was a kid. His father reminded him of it.

“He said, ‘Hey, it’s really big if you did it. It’s a family thing,’ ” Caldwell said his father told him. “He said, ‘Hey, just focus. You got one more [match] left. It’s senior year, last [match] you will ever play, and if you win CIF, it is something you’ll never forget.’ ”

DAVID CARRILLO PEÑALOZA may be reached at (714) 966-4612 or at [email protected].