SOUTHERN SECTION DIVISION I VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS : Huntington Beach Sweep Streak at 19

Huntington Beach’s volleyball team hasn’t lost a game since its first match of the season.

And the way the Oilers played in the second round of the Southern Section Division I playoffs Tuesday night, it might be awhile before they lose one.

The third-seeded Oilers swept their 19th consecutive opponent Tuesday night, beating unseeded San Clemente, 15-6, 15-5, 15-9, at Huntington Beach.

Huntington Beach has won 57 consecutive games since winning a four-game match against Dana Hills in the season opener.

“That streak,� Oiler Coach Rocky Ciarelli said, “will definitely end.�

Huntington Beach (20-0) advanced to the quarterfinals, where it will play Irvine. San Clemente ended the season 12-4.

Chris Swann had 12 kills, Shadd Walker 10 and Jon Wimbish nine to lead a balanced Huntington Beach attack. Setter Chris Jones had 34 assists and four kills for the Oilers. Sophomore Gabe Gardner led San Clemente with 15 kills.

The Oilers dominated the match, needing only 90 minutes to get the victory. Their balanced attack took San Clemente’s tough blocking out of the game.

“I think our youth caught up with us,� said San Clemente Coach Mike Hurlbut, who started a freshman and a sophomore. “I looked across the net and saw a solid, cohesive unit in Huntington Beach, but it wasn’t that way on our side. That comes with maturity.�

Ciarelli said his team is one of the best he has coached at Huntington Beach, especially with its depth.

“As far as 15 guys who can play, this is an amazing team,� he said. “We could go against any other team with 15 guys and win.�

Huntington Beach’s victory brought the Oilers one step closer to a possible showdown with top-seeded Capistrano Valley. Hurlbut has coached against both teams. Who does he think would win a Huntington Beach-Capistrano Valley final?

“It’ll be 14-14 in the fifth game,� he said. “I want you to think about me when it gets there. Then, take out a coin and flip it.�

In other second-round matches:

Irvine 3, Santa Monica 2--Greg Wakeham had 26 kills and Dave Beam added 25 as host Irvine beat Santa Monica, 15-13, 15-9, 12-15, 11-15, 15-13, in a match that lasted almost three hours. Doug Gotthard had 19 kills for Irvine (16-4).

Capistrano Valley 3, Fountain Valley 0--Aaron Garcia had 23 kills and Steve Thornton added 17 as top-seeded Capistrano Valley swept Fountain Valley, 25-23, 15-6, 15-13.

Evan Alexander had 15 kills and Eric McKelvie added 65 assists for the Cougars, who needed more than an hour to win the first game.

Goleta Dos Pueblos 3, Newport Harbor 0--Dos Pueblos (15-1) swept host Newport Harbor, 15-9, 15-8, 15-12, and will play fourth-seeded Laguna Beach in Friday’s quarterfinals.

Laguna Beach 3, Redondo Beach 0--David Berney had 49 assists and Dan Styles and Bob Jameson added 13 kills each for visiting Laguna Beach (16-2), which won, 15-6, 15-12, 15-10.