Boys volleyball: Pirates grieving

CYPRESS - Corona del Mar High boys volleyball coach Steve Conti

said five CIF Southern Section championships the last seven years has

given Santa Ynez a recognizable swagger.

But the Pirates, who meet the Sea Kings today at 1:30 p.m. in the CIF

Southern Section Division IV title match at Cypress College, have been

shuffling solemnly since Sam Johnson, a renowned football coach at the

school and the father of junior reserve middle blocker Roy Johnson, died

Tuesday.

“It’s nice to be able to play for a championship and be a part of

that,” Santa Ynez Coach Chip Fenenga said. “But when something like this

happens, it really makes everybody realize there are much more important

things.”

Fenenga said four players, still grieving, were unable to play in the

Pirates’ semifinal victory over Northwood Tuesday.

The entire team attended the funeral Friday and did not practice.

“It’s going to affect us,” Fenenga said of the grief that has

blanketed the entire community. “Sam was the captain of our CIF

championship football team in 1969 and he sent seven sons to Santa Ynez,

including three volleyball players. He was someone who had a big impact

on kids in this area and he was loved by a lot of people. I get choked up

just talking about him.

“Roy is someone who has played a significant role for us and I think

he’s going to come down with us (today). This will be a real issue for

us, but we’ll show up and do the best we can.”

Another issue affecting spectators today is the venue.

CdM’s last four trips to the CIF title match have been in the

college’s bigger 3,000-seat gym. The smaller gym, where today’s match

will be held, has a seating capacity of 1,200.

-- by Barry Faulkner