VOLLEYBALL : ORANGE COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIPS : Corona del Mar Rallies to Defeat Edison for Title

HUNTINGTON BEACH —  With damp shirts, dirty kneepads and less than 5 minutes warm-up, Corona del Mar and Edison met in the final of the Orange County Volleyball Championships.

The Sea Kings won the title in a see-saw match, 16-14. Edison took a 9-4 lead, but Corona del Mar went ahead, 10-9. The Chargers took a 13-10 lead, but the Sea Kings answered with a four-point run.

After tying the score, 14-14, Corona del Mar’s Alison Englebrecht hit a cross-court kill, and Edison’s Jill Butts hit into the net to give the Sea Kings the title.

Although Corona del Mar was 4-0 going into the playoffs, the Sea Kings were in second place. Defending champion Laguna Beach also had a 4-0 record, but was in first place because it had scored more points. However, the Artists were upset in the quarterfinals by No. 8 La Habra, 15-13.

“I’d have to say it was just sheer desire,” La Habra Coach Sandy Blumenthal said. “They sure were stronger hitters than we.”

Corona del Mar survived a scare from Newport Harbor in the quarterfinals, as the Sailors took a 10-3 lead, and led 13-10 before the Sea Kings, who were more aggressive and stronger, and also had a height advantage, stepped up their attack, tying the score, 14-14, then winning, 16-14.

Capistrano Valley beat Capistrano Valley Christian 15-9, and Edison defeated Mater Dei, 15-11, in the other quarterfinal matches. In the semifinals, Corona del Mar upset Capistrano Valley, last year’s runner-up, 15-6. Edison blasted La Habra, 15-3, in the other semifinal.

“That was a great tournament,” Edison Coach Dave Mohs said. “Corona del Mar’s been at the top a lot of times. They’ve been through this, and we’ve never been here (in the final) in the 10 years I’ve been coaching here.”

Capistrano Valley beat La Habra, 15-8, for third place.

In Division II:

Huntington Beach wins--Tournament MVP Vanessa Dahl led the Oilers to a 15-12 victory over Woodbridge in the final.

In Division III:

Whittier Christian wins--Senior Bethany Stidham led Whittier Christian (3-0) with 12 kills in a 15-12 victory over Ocean View in the final. Stidham, who was named tournament MVP, and teammates Denise Huizing and Teresa Brickner earned all-tournament honors.

Tournament Notes

Junior Kim Coleman of Corona del Mar was the tournament’s most valuable player. In the championship game, Coleman had three kills, a block assist and an ace. Teammate Lori Newcomb made the all-tournament team, as did Edison’s Natasha Zila, Newport Harbor’s Misty May, Laguna Beach’s Rachel Wacholder, La Habra’s Stefanie Bakke and Capistrano Valley’s Shelley Smith.