Corona del Mar stepping up

Half the number may be twice the challenge for the Corona del Mar High boys’ volleyball team, which moves from Division II, where it won two CIF Southern Section titles and played in three championship matches in the last four years, to Division I.

Coach Steve Conti’s Sea Kings (22-8), champions of the Pacific Coast League for the seventh straight season, are among four Newport-Mesa squads in the postseason, for which pairings were announced Monday.

CdM, which plays host to Northwood Friday at 7 p.m., is joined in the Division I draw by Sunset League champion Newport Harbor.

Sage Hill will compete in Division V, while Costa Mesa will take its shot in Division II.

Playing in the top division is not foreign territory for the Sea Kings, who won section crowns in the top division in 2000, 1989 and 1985. CdM also reached the Division I title match in 1999.

CdM, however, won Division II titles in 2007 and 2005 and captured a Division III championship in 1998. The school also has runner-up finishes in 2006 (Division II), 2001 (Division IV) and 1997 (Division III).

The Sea Kings are paced by senior Dylan Davis, who earned second-team All-CIF recognition as a junior middle blocker.

Northwood is an at-large entry out of the Sea View League.

Newport Harbor (24-7), which rallied to beat CdM in five games Friday night in the rivals’ now-annual playoff tuneup, will play host to St. John Bosco Friday at 7 p.m.

Coach Dan Glenn’s Sailors won all 10 Sunset League matches on their way to the title.

The Tars nearly added another section Division I title last season, winning the first two games, but falling in five to Mira Costa. Newport Harbor was ranked No. 5 in the final Division I poll.

Newport won section crowns in 1999, 1987 and 1980. It lost in the title match in 2000, 1991 and 1988.

The Sailors are paced by 6-foot-4 sophomore outside hitter Cody Caldwell, as well as 6-0 senior outside hitter JB Green and 6-2 senior Hamilton Day.

Caldwell had a match-high 26 kills Friday.

St. John Bosco is an at-large entry out of the Trinity League, where it earned a victory over Orange Lutheran, the league’s No. 2 representative.

“We don’t know much about Bosco, but it beat Orange Lutheran, so that got our kids’ attention,” Glenn said.

Both Back Bay squads are favored to get past the first round, but that’s when the fun begins.

Newport Harbor would meet either San Clemente, the South Coast League champion, or Redondo Union in Tuesday’s second round.

“I’d trade my draw with just about anybody,” Newport Harbor Coach Dan Glenn said.

Newport Harbor got past San Clemente in the quarterfinals last season at Newport Harbor.

CdM would likely face Mater Dei, the third-place team from the Trinity League, which is led by UC Irvine-bound outside hitter Connor Hughes, who some believe is the top prep player in the nation.

Mater Dei, however, must get past Aliso Niguel, the No. 2 representative from the South Coast League, which will play host to the first-round match.

Sage Hill (15-12), ranked No. 6 in the final Division V poll, is at home Friday against New Harvest Christian of Norwalk, the No. 2 team from the International League.

If victorious, the Lightning, led by returning first-team All-CIF performer and Newport-Mesa Dream Team honoree Bayle Smith, a four-year varsity starter, would face either Fillmore or Glendale Adventist Academy.

Costa Mesa n(13-7) is paced by Ryan Thompson, Jeff Dye, and Ben LeFebvre. The Mustangs, the No. 3 representative from the Orange Coast League, will visit El Dorado, the No. 2 entry from the Century League, Friday.

If Costa Mesa wins, it would face either Arroyo Grande or Burroughs of Burbank.

The quarterfinals are May 22, the semifinals are May 27 and the finals are May 30.