Corona del Mar needs seasoning

Bryce Alderton

What the Corona del Mar High boys volleyball team lacks in size this

season might be replaced by sheer athleticism and versatility.

That is the hope of ninth-year coach Steve Conti, who inherits a

team that returns five from a squad that reached the CIF Southern

Section Division II quarterfinals a year ago after enduring several

injuries to key players.

This year, the Sea Kings feature three players taller than

6-foot-1. Conti hopes to counter the apparent lack of an imposing

presence with players full of tenacity and physical aptitude.

“This is one of the smaller teams I’ve coached, but it has

multiple-sport athletes, which should help us progress at a quicker

rate,” Conti said.

Four of those athletes come from the CdM boys soccer team, which

reached the CIF semifinals. Grant Almquist, Shane Collins, Dominic

Rubino and Austin Brawner must make the shift from soccer to

volleyball.

“One-third of our team has been playing soccer and two of the guys

are banged up,” Conti said. “We are trying to put the pieces

together.”

CdM opened with a five-game victory Friday over visiting

Capistrano Valley.

Twin brothers Tom and Kevin Welch each return for their third

varsity season. Both earned second-team All-Pacific Coast League

status as sophomores. CdM went 10-0 in league to win the PCL crown.

Tom Welch quarterbacked the football team last fall while Kevin Welch

started in the secondary and at receiver. Both also played on the

basketball team this winter.

Tom Welch, 6-0, played a lot at opposite last year, but Conti may

need him at the net this spring.

“He puts up a strong block on the right side, which is something

we don’t have now,” Conti said. “It may just depend on our opponent

and seeing how guys develop throughout the year.”

Conti praised the Welch brothers’ work ethic and competitiveness.

“They are both gamers who love to compete and not just in the

matches but in practice, too,” Conti said. “That helps push our team

to get better.”

Brawner, a junior middle blocker, and Rubino, a senior setter,

each saw varsity action last year, which Conti said should only help

them this year.

“[Rubino] has a good mentality for a setter and is really steady,”

Conti said.

Collins, an outside hitter, played football and Conti likes his

competitiveness, while Almquist, a junior setter, enters his first

varsity season with much versatility.

Junior middle blocker Ted Slaughter is CdM’s tallest player at

6-6. Conti pulled him up from the frosh-soph team.

“The biggest thing for him is learning to compete at this level,”

Conti said. “He has made some strides to that level and will keep on

improving.”

Junior Ben Applebee, a 5-9 outside hitter and defensive

specialist, worked as hard as any Sea King in the off-season, Conti

said.

“Right now, he is our best defensive specialist and serves tough

for us,” Conti said. “We need guys who can serve tough.”

Sophomore Jake Cancellieri and junior Chris Reilly each stand 6-2

and enter their first varsity seasons. Cancellieri is one of three

middle blockers vying for the role vacated by Eric Jones, a redshirt

at Stanford this season. Jones shared Most Valuable Player honors in

the PCL with teammate Greg Gabriel and Jones was selected first-team

All-CIF Division II first team last season.

Senior opposite Patrick Franta, junior outside hitter Nate Packer

and freshman Adam Smith add to CdM’s arsenal. Reilly provides

blocking on the right side while Franta gives added offense.

Heading into Friday’s opener, CdM had not practiced with its

entire team.

Conti is hopeful the players can make a smooth transition between

sports and be polished by the time league play begins.

“We got guys out late who didn’t get a lot of touches in the fall

and winter,” Conti said. “I’m trying to explain to them to be

resilient, that we can catch up to other teams and be competitive.

Chemistry is necessary for us to play at our maximum potential. We

want to be playing our best volleyball at the end of the season.

“We lost in the quarters last year and by no means played our best

match. We got through the league season, then went to the Santa

Barbara [Tournament of Champions] and lost Bart Welch [sprained

ankle], our captain, best passer and defender. We won the next two

league matches without him and then lost Jones to a sprained ankle.”

Jones and Welch played through pain during the CIF playoffs.

A few players come into the season nursing nagging injuries, but

Conti said better now than later.

“I would rather get to league with players healthy and have

everyone out there,” he said.