Athlete of the Week, Greg Stampley

Richard Dunn

Greg Stampley of Corona del Mar High is to late April what Reggie

Jackson was to October, only with a different set of spikes and digs.

For Stampley, dramatic home runs have come the same calendarweek in

back-to-back years -- both leading to Daily Pilot Athlete of the Week

recognition.

Last year, Stampley was featured in this space on May 6 for his

volleyball heroics in the Sea View League. But this time, the 6-foot-4

senior outside hitter lifted Corona del Mar to the championship of the

Santa Barbara Tournament of Champions, perhaps the most prestigious boys

volleyball tournament on the West Coast.

And, along with earning tournament co-MVP honors with Kevin Hansen, CdM’s

Stanford-bound setter, it was extra sweet for Stampley and his teammates

as they knocked off Back Bay rival Newport Harbor in the final at Santa

Barbara High, 15-13, 15-9, 15-10.

“There’s nothing better than playing Harbor,” said Stampley, who recorded

17 kills, 13 digs and three service aces in the title match, while adding

impressive numbers in CdM’s earlier TofC victories against Bear River of

Grass Valley, Huntington Beach in the quarterfinals and Santa Margarita

in the semifinals.

The USC-bound Stampley, who will be a walk-on player for Trojans Coach

Pat Powers next season with aspirations of earning a scholarship down the

road, was huge in the Sea Kings’ win over Huntington Beach with 26 kills,

but also because of his intangibles.

“Greg started leading this team over the weekend with his attitude on the

court,” said CdM Coach Steve Conti, whose team reached the CIF Southern

Section Division I title match last year, losing to Newport Harbor in a

memorable final.

After getting 19 kills, five digs and four blocks against Bear River,

Stampley enjoyed a big outing against Huntington Beach. But his best

moment came when the Oilers, who won the first game, jumped out to a 9-4

lead in the second and grabbed the momentum.

“It just seemed like we were struggling mentally,” Conti said. “When you

looked across the court, they had blank looks on their faces. But

(Stampley) was the guy patting guys on the back and giving words of

encouragement to try to get going, and we were barely able to squeak by

and win the second game (15-11) ... That (comeback victory) gave our team

a lot of confidence.”

Saturday in the semifinals, Stampley was there for 22 more kills and

three blocks, before leading CdM to the title, finishing the tournament

with 84 kills (an average of 21 per match).

Stampley’s favorite moment in the tournament came late in the finals,

securing the win over Harbor. During one play, CdM’s Chris Shepardson

made a fine dig and passed the ball to Stampley in the front row.

Stampley was prepared to fire away, but heard Hansen holler at the last

second, and, instead, unloaded a beautiful cross-court pass to his setter

teammate, who blasted home the kill and chiseled an exclamation point on

the win.

“(Hansen) never gets to hit,” said Stampley, whose jump set was

well-timed for Hansen. “He just hammered it. It was great, and then we

all started yelling at each other (in celebration) ... because after

that, we knew we had it.”

A three-year varsity starter and part of the Sea Kings’ CIF Division III

title team in 1998, Stampley is hopeful of his team going far into the

playoffs this year.