Southern Section Volleyball Playoffs : Edison’s Heavy Hitters Knock Out Corona del Mar in the First Round

Wave after wave of Edison High School hitters took turns pounding away at a relatively young Corona del Mar team that never broke, but bent just enough for Edison to come away with a 15-11, 12-15, 15-6, 15-13 victory in a first-round match of the Southern Section 4-A playoffs at Edison.

The Edison trio of Brian Boone (6-foot 5-inches), Mark Persho (6-6) and Darren Lance (6-3) did the most pounding and usually at the most important times. During a six-point run in the first game, Persho and Boone combined to block three and kill two.

That staked Edison to a 14-7 lead. When Corona del Mar rallied to make the score 14-11, it was Boone who twice got the serve back with blocks.

After losing the second game, Edison came back for a relatively easy 15-6 victory. In that third game, the Chargers had runs of five points twice, each time owing a lot to their hitters.

“What makes their hitters so good is their consistency,” said Charlie Brande, Corona del Mar coach. “They just keep coming, there is never any let down. I think that starts to wear on a young, immature team like ours. And I think that’s why they could make the runs they did.”

Corona del Mar starts only one senior, Scott Peterson. The Sea Kings came into the match with 10 straight victories with steady, mistake-free play. But as Edison’s hitters continued to apply the pressure, the mistakes started.

Trailing, 11-9, in the fourth game, Corona del Mar rallied to tie the score at 11-11. With the momentum apparently shifted to their side, the Sea Kings served into the net. Edison went on a three point run, making it 14-11, with Boone, Persho and Lance each getting a kill.

Corona del Mar rallied again, pulling to within 14-13. But two more service errors did nothing to help the Sea Kings’ cause and when Lance slammed a ball cross court, the match was over.

“I knew we were going to be in for a battle against these guys,” said John Herman, Edison coach. “They pass well, do all the fundamental things so well. I think our strength was that we had so many people to go to. If they stuck on Brian, we could go to Darren or Mark.”

It was the second match between the teams; Edison won the first won in five games.

“In that first match, Edison would have streaks of playing really well, then tail off,” Brande said. “Now I see this team playing well all the time. Always applying pressure. They are playing great right now.”

Even so, Herman said he was less than pleased when he found out his first-round opponent would be Corona del Mar, a team that had tied for the Sea View League championship.

“But now that it’s over I think this is really going to prepare us,” he said.

Edison (16-1), Sunset League champion, will play Dana Hills in the second round Tuesday. The teams have not played this season.

In other 4-A first-round matches:

Newport Harbor 3, Rolling Hills 0--Mike Curci had 16 kills and 5 blocks to lead host Newport Harbor to a 15-10, 15-8, 15-6 victory. Pete Eastman had 8 kills and 3 blocks and Drew Sheward had 40 assists for Newport Harbor (12-3).

Dana Hills 3, Mira Costa 1--Dana Hills won, 7-15, 15-12, 15-12, 15-13, at home. Brent Hillyard had 15 kills and Todd Ahmadi and Doug Morland each had 14. Dana Hills (14-2), South Coast League champions, play Edison Tuesday in the second round.

Marina 3, San Marcos 1--Marina won, 11-15, 15-13, 15-7, 15-12, at San Marcos. Duane Cameron led Marina (15-3) with 23 kills and 15 blocks. Setter Dave Buehring had 60 assists.

In the 3-A playoffs:

La Quinta 3, Redondo 0--Craig Frisby (13 kills), Tony Price (12 kills) and Tom Potwora (10 kills and 11 blocks) led the Aztecs (14-4) to a 15-6, 15-4, 15-5 victory at La Quinta.