Marine View, Mesa View triumph

Marine View and Mesa View middle schools claimed postseason

championships as the Ocean View School District 2003 boys’ and girls’

volleyball seasons came to an end with tournament play.

Marine View captured three division titles, winning the girls’

seventh- and eighth-grade girls’ divisions and the seventh-grade

boys’ division.

The Mariners also vied for the eighth-grade boys’ division title,

which was won by Mesa View.

Mesa View teams reached the championship final in three divisions.

Seventh-grade girls’ division

Marine View won the division by defeating Mesa View, 15-13, 15-13.

Kendall Kraiss and Madison Parks controlled the net for the

Mariners and teammates Deanna Dabb anchored the back row in the close

match.

Mariah Nogueira’s all-round play, Mary Hulsebus’s three aces and

Mahal Jalai’s spark on defense led Mesa View.

Despite being taken to a tiebreaker during four matches throughout

the season, Marine View was able to go unbeaten during regular season

and postseason play.

Seventh-grade boys’ division

Vista View won the first game 15-9 against Marine View, but the

Mariners stormed back to win the next two games, 15-12, 15-12.

Behind the play of setter Peter Connole, Jordan Gorman and six

kills by Hayden Toney, Vista View gained a 1-0 lead in games.

Yet Marine View took over the next two games, using the pin-point

setting of Mike Megill, which allowed Adam Westmoreland and Jeff

Molino to each put away five kills.

Seventh-grade girls’ division

In a close final, Marine View, runner-up during the regular

season, subdued regular season champion Mesa View, 15-13, 13-15,

15-9.

Erica Congelliere and Kelsey Kraiss paced the Mariners.

Sabrina Larusch, Mesa View’s setter and team leader, again led the

Eagles. Misha Monnazam and Christina Kuehn also were instrumental in

Mesa View’s success.

Eighth-Grade Boys’ Division

The postseason tournament’s biggest surprise came in this division

as Marine View, winless during regular season play, upset an

undefeated Vista View team in the semifinals, 15-11, 16-14.

That win propelled the Mariners into the division final, but a

spirited effort was not enough to offset a talented Mesa View squad,

which won the tournament, 15-12, 16-14.

The play of Corey Walk and Randy Guite, combined with the net play

of Kyle Myers and Greg Baca, powered the Eagles.

Bobby Duarte’s strong serves and Ryan Burke’s hustle in the

backcourt complimented Ryan Donohue’s effortless sets for Marine

View.

As seventh-grade players a year ago, Mesa View did not win a game,

going 0-8 overall.

“At tryouts, I didn’t even ask who was on the team last year,”

said Mesa View coach, Kelly Painter. “It didn’t matter.”

Of the 12-team members playing for Mesa View’s eighth-grade team,

seven never had played volleyball.

“Though inexperienced, a great work ethic and excellent team

chemistry equaled a finals berth,” Painter said.