CdM continues on title quest

CORONA DEL MAR — Same team, different round.

Yet Santa Ana High, trying to extend a memorable year, figured what was in store at powerhouse Corona del Mar.

The odds were stacked against the Saints. Most of them returned to the court where the Sea Kings ended their boys’ volleyball season a year ago.

This time they put forth more of an effort against the defending section champion, but CdM beat the Saints again in three games.

The Sea Kings won, 25-14, 25-13, 25-21, in the second round of the CIF Southern Section Division II playoffs Tuesday, putting an end to the Saints’ historic year.

Now it is CdM (25-7) marching on to the quarterfinals at West Valley (17-1) of Hemet on Friday.

Along the way, CdM Coach Steve Conti noticed a different Santa Ana team, a more confident group than the one the Sea Kings ousted in the first round last year.

“I think they’re definitely a lot better,” Conti said.

The Saints (19-4) showed early on how much they’ve improved.

Santa Ana Coach Brian Lillie said credit the high confidence to the program winning its first league crown and a first-round match for the first time in school history.

At one point in Game 1, the Sea Kings led the Golden West League champs by just two points. Eventually, they ran away with the game, going on a 16-7 run.

Other than having their starting setter in Connor Bannan return after missing last week’s opener due to having a high fever, it has been relatively easy for the Sea Kings. During the postseason, no team has pushed CdM, ranked No. 3 in the final Division II coaches’ poll. Each victory has come in sweeping fashion.

Senior Jeff Carlson, who’s bound for USC, said the time will come when the Sea Kings face adversity in their attempt to claim the school’s seventh section crown.

“Probably not in the next round, but the semifinals, probably [against] Santa Barbara,” said Carlson, who finished with seven kills. “We haven’t played [the Dons] yet [this season]. They’ve been to some of the tournaments we’ve been in.

“We always have like a pretty epic battle, like last year in the finals, the year before that in the semis. They want to get us back.”

The Sea Kings aren’t one of the top two seeds in the playoffs. Those belong to No. 1 Valencia of Valencia and No. 2 Santa Barbara.

Senior middle blocker Gus Ellis, headed to Stanford, is OK with that.

“Sometimes it’s better not to be No. 1, just because you don’t have that target on your back,” Ellis said before contributing five kills and two blocks. “It’s arguable, our seed. You could say we could be higher, some people can say we could be lower, but it is what it is.

“I think that we’ve got a really nice shot all the way to the finals.”

Record-wise, West Valley, the Sunbelt League champ, appears to be a formidable opponent. But the Mustangs haven’t competed against the high-caliber programs CdM has this season.

The biggest challenge for the Sea Kings might be the 80-mile drive to Hemet and the traffic on Highway 91 and Interstate 15.

They’ll just have plenty of time to kill before slaughtering another team.

DAVID CARRILLO PEÑALOZA may be reached at (714) 966-4612 or at david.carrillo@latimes.com.