CdM’s Haly is CIF Player of the Year

Corona del Mar High senior middle blocker Mitch Haly earned the CIF Southern Section Division 1 Player of the Year award in boys’ volleyball, highlighting one of seven local players making All-CIF.

The Sea Kings had the most players in the area with four. The other three were junior setter Patrick Paragas, junior outside hitter Brandon Browning and senior middle blocker Jake Meyer.

CdM’s Steve Conti was the CIF Southern Section Division 1 Coach of the Year.

Newport Harbor junior outside hitter Cole Pender and senior middle blocker Spencer Lawrence, and Huntington Beach junior libero Grant Guinasso received recognition in Division 1.

Haly, Paragas, Browning and Meyer led CdM to an undefeated Pacific Coast League championship, a CIF Southern Section Division 1 championship and the CIF Southern California Regional Division I finals.

Conti, who has been at CdM since 1996, won his 500^th match with the Sea Kings.

The Sea Kings (33-4, 10-0 in league) won their 15^th straight league crown, played in their third straight section finale, and made their fourth straight SoCal Regional finals appearance.

The No. 3-seeded Sea Kings swept No. 1 Los Angeles Loyola 25-22, 32-30, 26-24 in the section finals, claiming the top division for the first time since 2000.

In the SoCal Regional finale, No. 1 CdM lost to No. 2 Loyola in three sets.

Haly, the Pacific Coast League MVP, finished with 187 kills and 74 total blocks.

The USC-bound Haly also made the All-Orange County first team.

Paragas totaled 1,009 assists, and had 46 kills, 27½ total blocks, 116 digs and 38 service aces.

Paragas garnered All-Pacific Coast League and All-Orange County first-team honors.

Browning, a USC commit, produced 259 kills, 24 total blocks, 74 digs and 25 aces.

Browning was a first-team All-Pacific Coast League pick and an All-Orange County honorable mention.

Meyer produced 194 kills and 47 total blocks.

Meyer was on the All-Pacific Coast League and All-Orange County first teams.

Pender and Lawrence helped Newport Harbor (29-5, 10-0) claim its first undefeated Sunset League championship since 2011, make its first semifinal appearance since 2008, and play in the CIF Southern California Regional Division I playoffs for the first time.

Pender, a UCLA commit, finished with 348 kills and a .340 hitting percentage.

The Sunset League MVP had 49 aces, 18 solo blocks, 34 block assists and 155 digs.

Lawrence, an Ohio State signee, recorded 109 kills and a .484 hitting percentage.

Lawrence, a first-team All-Sunset League selection, had 14 solo blocks, 57 block assists and four aces.

Guinasso contributed to Huntington Beach (24-11, 7-3) sharing second place in the Sunset League and advancing to the CIF Southern Section Division 1 quarterfinals.

Guinasso, a first-team All-Sunset League and third-team All-Orange County member, had 349 digs, 67 assists and 20 aces.

— From staff reports