CdM quietly advances

CORONA DEL MAR — Save for a celebratory cheer at the end of the match, you would never know the Corona del Mar High boys’ volleyball team had just advanced to the quarterfinals of the CIF Southern Section Division II playoffs.

The sedate crowd at CdM reflected the picture of an equally sedate coach Tuesday night.

Steve Conti barely rose except to switch sides during top-seeded CdM’s 25-10, 25-20, 25-18 sweep over Hemet (17-3) in the Division II playoffs.

In fact, with the sober expressions and dark hair, Conti bore a resemblance to Duke basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski.

Well, maybe, if Krzyzewski wore Bermuda shirts and coached boys’ volleyball.

But with the top-seeded Sea Kings (30-2) solidly controlling all three games, there wasn’t much reason for Conti to contort his face or leave his seat, especially not while he’s still wearing a protective brace over his right foot.

He injured his foot during a summer trip to Fiji, then it developed a post-operative infection. But unlike last week, when the Sea Kings trounced Santa Ana in three games, Conti was no longer complaining about the pain.

“It’s not painful, it’s just the frustration of what I had to go through,” Conti said. “Not being able to get around, not being able to take a shower without putting a bag on your foot every day, or pitch baseballs to my kids or ride skateboards with them.”

It could be that Conti, who is livelier in practice according to Blaine Nielsen and Tyler Johnson, is simply bogarting all his energy for the later playoff rounds.

The same could be true for the crowd.

“This is only second round,” said Nielson, who led with 13 kills. “We had a lot of people come up to Santa Barbara last year in the semifinals, so the next round will definitely be a lot better.”

Phil Bannan had 39 assists and five blocks, and Spencer Brown added 14 digs. Gus Ellis recorded 10 kills.

The Sea Kings will play at Oxnard Friday in the quarterfinals. Oxnard defeated host El Dorado 25-14, 25-20, 25-18.

SORAYA NADIA McDONALD may be reached at (714) 966-4613 or at [email protected].