DAILY PILOT HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETE OF THE WEEK:

Coin flips is not how Reed Williams wants to decide outcomes.

The Sea Kings haven’t benefited from them in recent years.

Last season, they earned a wild-card playoff spot due to losing a coin flip, dropping the Sea Kings from second place in the Pacific Coast League to third place.

Williams saw the playoffs begin on the road at Sunny Hills in Fullerton and end there as well in sudden-death overtime.

“There was like a hill in the middle of the field,” Williams said is all he really remembers.

This season, he and CdM had to climb another hill. The Sea Kings had another coin flip situation.

CdM had to travel in the second round of the CIF Southern Section Division IV playoffs to face defending section champion Santa Monica after losing the coin flip.

Williams wasn’t thrilled, understandably so. CdM opened the postseason at Bishop Montgomery of Torrance, where the Sea Kings pulled out a 3-0 victory thanks to Williams’ two assists and one goal.

Williams got some help before facing Santa Monica Wednesday. He called two friends, teammates of his on the local Slammers under-17 club team.

“They knew Santa Monica and played [the team] this season and they said Santa Monica has a strong team,” said Williams, whose club teammates play for different high schools in Los Angeles County. “I would rather play them now than later in the playoffs.”

Williams took care of business. The junior striker scored twice and set up a penalty kick, as the Sea Kings knocked off Santa Monica, 3-1, earning their second straight road playoff victory.

For this, CdM (8-7-4) earned a much-deserved home playoff match. The Sea Kings meet Rio Mesa of Oxnard in the quarterfinals today at 3 p.m.

Williams has been busy this postseason, recording three goals and assisting on another. On top of his contributions, Williams said he verbally committed to play for the UCLA men’s soccer team after he graduates from CdM in 2010.

Just like Williams has been waiting to play at home in the playoffs, he wanted to stay close to home while in college.

“I’m a West Coast guy,” Williams said was the deciding factor for choosing the Bruins early on.

Another school in the state, UC Berkeley, recruited him, as well as Duke, Princeton and Harvard showed interest.

Williams said UCLA offered him a partial scholarship. He is excited about his future. Early on, Coach Pat Callaghan knew he had a special player in Williams.

As a freshman, Williams scored the game-winner in CdM’s 1-0 victory against Estancia in the first round of the playoffs. Williams’ presence allowed the Sea Kings to rebound after suffering two consecutive tough first-round losses.

Callaghan coached Williams’ older brother, Mitchell, before guiding Reed. Mitchell was a standout midfielder at CdM before graduating last season. He is now at Orange Coast College.

Mitchell is also an assistant with the varsity team, helping Callaghan. Reed is happy his older brother is around.

The last time these two were part of a CdM team in a quarterfinal match was two seasons ago. The Sea Kings ended up losing to Saddleback.

This time, Reed will try to help the team on the field and Mitchell will assist Callaghan from the sideline.

“We want to keep playing,” Williams said of the Sea Kings, who are one win away from reaching the semifinals for the first time since the 2003-04 season. “We control our own destiny.”

Williams isn’t counting on a coin flip to help CdM.

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