Different paths, seeking the same fate

If the CIF Southern Section rankings are any indication, the Corona del Mar High boys’ volleyball team has matched what was anticipated so far this season, while the Costa Mesa boys’ volleyball squad has surpassed expectations.

But the teams have one main thing in common ? they are the only two Newport-Mesa area boys’ volleyball squads still alive at this point in the playoffs.

Corona del Mar (26-5), the defending Division II champion, opened the season ranked No. 2 in the division. Three months later, the Sea Kings went into the playoffs as the No. 2 seed.

The Mustangs (22-5) opened the season ranked No. 4 in Division III and jumped around before settling into the No. 2 slot and going into the playoffs seeded second.

Both teams have road trips today, one much longer than the other, to play in their respective semifinals and try to secure their spots in Saturday’s championship matches at Cypress College. Corona del Mar takes on host Santa Barbara at 7 p.m. in a Division II semifinal and Costa Mesa plays at Orange Lutheran in a Division III semifinal at 7 p.m.

The Sea Kings and the No. 3-seeded Dons will be meeting for the first time this season. Corona del Mar Coach Steve Conti said he has been reviewing tapes on the Dons.

“They are really experienced. They start a lot of seniors,” Conti said. “And they have a 6-foot-6 left-handed opposite hitter who is an NCAA Division I-caliber player.”

The teams are similar in that they both have potent middle blockers who can take over games, and both clubs have strong outside hitters.

“They are a lot like us,” Conti said. “Their middles can put the ball away and they are very balanced.”

Corona del Mar is led by 6-6 middle blockers Scott Slaughter and Gus Ellis, junior outside hitters Adam Smith and Blaine Nielsen and junior setter Phil Bannan, who is hoping to set the Sea Kings into the Division II championship match for the second consecutive season.

“If we do it, we definitely have to do it as a team,” Conti said. “In big matches, you never know who is going to step up. Not from an offensive standpoint, because I think both teams have plenty of offense, but from a defensive standpoint, in order to slow a team down, to get that key block or dig. That’ll be the key.”

The Sea Kings will have the disadvantage of having to deal with a long bus ride to Santa Barbara and most likely, a rowdy crowd.

“I heard the crowd heckles the opponents during the whole match,” Slaughter said. “So it’ll be key to zone that out.”

Costa Mesa will face an athletic Orange Lutheran squad for the first time this season.

“They run a very quick offense,” Costa Mesa Coach Chris Komer said. “They have a lot of good jump servers. Five or six of their players are jump-servers.”

Costa Mesa counters with its own exceptional jump-server in Ryan Bagwell, who has a 12-ace match and a 10-ace match this season. Bagwell is also unique in that he is a left-handed outside hitter playing on the left side, which can be awkward for defenses to deal with.

The Mustangs can also count on middle blocker Mitch Caldwell, opposite hitter Will Lefebvre and setter Andrew Melcer.

“I think whoever has the most runs will win,” Komer said. “Defense and runs are the big factors. If our passing is on, we should be OK.”

Komer said Costa Mesa’s defense recently has been the best it’s been all season.

“I think we are peaking at the right time,” he said. dpt-cifvolley24.IMG0GraphicInfoCI1R8KIL20060524CI1R8KILNo Captiondpt-cifvolley24.IMGGraphicInfoCI1R8KIJ20060524CI1R8KIJNo Captiondpt.24-cm-volley-CPhotoInfo271R8KI720060524ize6j0ncMARK DUSTIN / DAILY PILOT(LA)Ryan Bagwell, left, leads Costa Mesa into tonight’s CIF playoff match.