Boys volleyball: Sea Kings host Wolverines

Barry Faulkner

CORONA DEL MAR - In addition to home-court advantage, Corona del

Mar High may have inevitability on its side when it hosts

Harvard-Westlake tonight in a CIF Southern Section Division IV boys

volleyball playoff match at 7.

“I think we still have our best match in front of us,” Coach Steve

Conti said of his Sea Kings (13-7), who typically peak this time of year.

CdM is attempting to reach its sixth straight section title match.

Harvard-Westlake, runner-up to Loyola, seeded No. 2 in Division II, in

the Mission League, has not been to a section final since winning the 3-A

crown in 1991.

But the Wolverines have the respect of Conti, who has battled the

school in both the boys and girls playoffs since coming to CdM.

“I just know we’re going to play a good volleyball team,” Conti said.

“But I think playing them at home is a big deal.”

The Sea Kings have advanced with a 15-6, 13-15, 7-15, 16-14, 15-8

first-round victory over Ocean View, as well as a 15-2 15-8, 15-2 rout of

second-round visitor South Pasadena Tuesday.

Harvard-Westlake swept Carpinteria in the first round, then handled

Village Christian Tuesday.

CdM hopes to be bolstered by the return of junior Bart Welch, who has

been sidelined since spraining his ankle in the first game against Ocean

View.

A healthy Welch would add to a senior nucleus of outside hitter John

Grod, middle blocker Ryan Inman and setter Spencer Miller.

Freshman Kevin Welch, Bart’s younger brother, has also been a strong

contributor for the Pacific Coast League’s third-place team.

Tonight’s winner advances to Wednesday’s semifinal, against either No.

2-seeded Northwood or Servite.