DREAM TEAM

Rick Devereux

It was the year of the Sea Kings in high school girls volleyball as

Corona del Mar won the Pacific Coast League and CIF Southern Section

Division III-A championships, advanced to the semifinals of the CIF

State Division III championships and finished with a 27-6 record.

CdM was powered by senior outside hitter Jordan Smith, selected

Daily Pilot Player of the Year.

The UCLA signee is a Dream Team selection for the third time and

is joined by senior teammates Lindsey Ensign, Traci Lawson and

Breanne Ogden, as well as sophomore Kelly Christian.

Newport Harbor’s Kiley Hall, Sage Hill’s Cat Dailey, Costa Mesa’s

Jackie Havens and Estancia’s Hillary Larsen round out the Dream Team.

Smith, a four-year varsity member, is an outsider hitter who led

the Sea Kings with 436 digs and was second with 345 kills.

“She is probably the best defensive player in the country,” Sea

Kings’ Coach Bill Christiansen said.

“She is one of the top outside hitters and she leads by quiet

example.

“She’s not a yeller or a screamer -- she’s extremely quiet, but

she goes out and plays an A-plus game all the time.”

Smith was named the CIF Division III Co-Player of the Year to go

with her Pacific Coast League Player of the Year honor.

Ensign, also a four-year varsity member, is a three-time

all-league honoree and was named to first-team All-CIF for the second

consecutive season.

The middle blocker led CdM with 365 kills and 74 blocks. She was

second with 309 digs and 29 service aces.

Lawson was the emotional leader for the Sea Kings as well as their

“quarterback.”

The setter distributed the ball masterfully, keeping defenses

guessing. She led the team with 545 assists. Lawson was also named to

the all-tournament team for the Dave Mohs Memorial after leading CdM

to the finals.

The ball did not have a tracking device to Ogden, it only seemed

that way. The defensive specialist was third on the team with 275

digs.

Ogden, who will play for the University of San Diego next fall,

was named Defensive Most Valuable Player of the Dave Mohs Memorial

tournament and also garnered first-team all-league laurels.

Christian was an all-around threat for CdM as opposite hitter.

The first-team All-CIF selection was second on the team with 350

assists, third with 28 service aces and fourth with 275 kills.

Hall was named first-team All-Sea View League as Newport’s outside

hitter.

The senior, who was a second-team all-league selection last year

as a junior middle blocker, was also a second-team All-CIF Southern

Section Division II selection.

Hall was the undisputed leader of the Sailors, who finished 15-13

and advanced to the semifinals of the CIF Southern Section Division

II-AA playoffs.

The captain led the team with 12 kills in the semifinal match

against Edison and 19 kills against El Dorado. She also chimed in

with 16 kills against Victor Valley.

Dailey, a repeat Dream Team selection, helped Sage Hill finish

17-7 and advance to the semifinals of the CIF Division IV-A playoffs.

The junior outside hitter is a first-team All-Academy League and

second-team All-CIF selection. She led the Lightning with 257 kills,

61 blocks and 44 service aces.

Havens is another repeat Dream Team selection.

The senior switched from an outside hitter and middle blocker last

year to Costa Mesa’s leading setter this year without missing a beat.

Havens led the Mustangs with 39 service aces and 331 assists. She

also finished with 22 kills and 102 digs.

The four-year varsity performer is a two-time first-team

All-Golden West League honoree and was second-team all-league as a

sophomore.

She helped the Mustangs finish with a 9-6 record and a berth into

the CIF Division III-A playoffs.

Larsen was a powerful outside hitter who guided Estancia to an 8-9

record. She was tops for the Eagles in multiple categories, including

service aces (104), kills (231) and blocks (71).

The first-team All-Golden West League performer stepped up her

game against the Eagles’ tougher opponents.

She posted 12 service aces and 15 kills against Costa Mesa, as

well as 10 service aces and 22 kills against Santa Ana.