Mesa, CdM set to battle Vikings

When the Corona del Mar High and Costa Mesa High boys’ volleyball teams play in CIF championship matches today, they will be meeting familiar foes, both of whom go by the moniker, Vikings.

No. 2-seed Costa Mesa (23-5), making its first CIF championship match appearance, will face the top-seeded Santa Monica Vikings in the Division III final at Cypress College at 1 p.m. Following that match, Corona del Mar ? also a No. 2 seed, this time in Division II ? will take on the No. 1 seed Valencia Vikings in the Division II championship at 3:30 p.m.

Santa Monica swept Costa Mesa in the first round of the playoffs last year. Mustang players say the loss provided the team with the motivation to get better in order to prevent such setbacks from happening again.

“It’s a great motivational tool,” Costa Mesa Coach Chris Komer said. “The revenge factor is there. They guys are excited.”

Corona del Mar (27-5) defeated host Santa Barbara in a wild five-game match in the Division II semifinals.

“We’re trying not to get too caught up in the victory, but it’s hard, because it was so amazing,” Corona del Mar Coach Steve Conti said. “Now we have to move on and be prepared for Valencia.”

The Sea Kings swept Valencia to capture the Division II title last year. In 2004, the Vikings topped Corona del Mar in the CIF semifinals. Valencia, which will be playing in its sixth consecutive CIF title match, returns all of its starters from last year’s team.

“I’m sure they’ll be really hungry, looking for revenge,” Conti said. “They’ll be ready. They are a lot like Santa Barbara. They have a lot of weapons and they are senior oriented. They have great ball control and probably the best setter in all of CIF.”

And the keys for Corona del Mar to be able to capture its second consecutive CIF title?

“Serving will be crucial,” Conti said. “And we need to keep them out of sync, which won’t be easy. When they are in sync, they are hard to stop. Their setter is very deceptive and they have two strong middle blockers, one of which is going to UCLA.”

Valencia had won two consecutive CIF titles when the Sea Kings dethroned them last year. It marked Corona del Mar’s first CIF crown since capturing the Division I title against Newport Harbor in 2000.

It’s been a breakthrough season for Costa Mesa. The Mustangs beat cross-town rival Estancia for the first time ever, sweeping the season series, then captured its first Golden West League title with its first-ever undefeated league season. The Mustangs were victorious in their first-ever semifinal appearance, a 25-13, 25-16, 25-21 victory over host Orange Lutheran on Wednesday.

Santa Monica, like Costa Mesa, boasts a senior-laden lineup. The Vikings, who beat Downey in five games in their semifinal match, also are a bit unorthodox in that they have a setter who gets 10 to 15 kills a game.

“That’s kind of unheard of,” Komer said.

Regardless, Costa Mesa feels it has a shot at the title if it plays to its capabilities.

“If we play like we did against Orange Lutheran, we’ll be OK,” Komer said. “If we communicate with each other and make the small adjustments, like moving our blockers and diggers around and adjusting to their hitters, we’ll be in good shape.”

Ball control has been another big factor for the Mustangs.

“Our passing has been huge. We’ve been able to control the ball,” Komer said. “When we spread the ball around, it makes the other team a little more confused.”dpt.27-cifvolley-2-BPhotoInfo231RD5LC20060527iwo2p6knMARK DUSTIN / DAILY PILOT(LA)Sophomore Gus Ellis, right, will be a key figure for the Corona del Mar High boys’ volleyball team in today’s CIF Southern Section Division II championship match against Valencia.