Esperanza stays on top of Chargers

HUNTINGTON BEACH — Game 1 slipped away Friday night for the Edison High boys’ volleyball team.

The match followed, along with a good chance at a Sunset League title.

Visiting Esperanza pulled out the broom to sweep the Chargers, 26-24, 25-16, 25-22, staying alone in first place in league with a week to go.

The Aztecs (7-1 in league), ranked No. 2 in the CIF Southern Section Division I poll, only have to beat Los Alamitos and Fountain Valley next week to win the title outright.

Edison, ranked No. 5 in Division I, falls to 5-3 in league. If the Chargers would have won Friday night, there would have been a three-way tie for first also including Newport Harbor (6-2).

Edison Coach Brian Boone said before the match that a victory would come down to passing and serving. He then watched his team commit seven service errors in Game 1 and fail to hold leads of 15-10 and 22-20.

The Aztecs used back-to-back blocks from junior Brian Beith to take a 23-22 lead, then a kill from Beith to set up a game point which they converted on an Edison net violation.

“We had a lot of momentum, a nice little cushion, and we let it get away,” Boone said. “I just thought [Esperanza was] hungrier. They wanted it more, and they earned a championship tonight.”

Esperanza’s momentum carried over into much of Game 2 and Game 3, as well. The Aztecs dominated Game 2 behind the hard hitting of senior opposite Chris Hartig, who finished with a match-high 12 kills and who Boone said was “on fire.”

Hartig (calf injury) and senior outside Kevin Smith (knee) hadn’t practiced Wednesday or Thursday, but they appeared fine as they helped the Aztecs finish off the sweep. Brett Anderson added 34 assists.

Edison fell behind 23-16 in the last game before mounting a furious 6-0 run, led by the serving of senior Ryan Smith. He hit three aces in the stretch, pulling Edison within 23-22, but then a serve missed and Esperanza converted its first match point.

“We felt like if we competed with Edison tonight, it would be a good match,” Esperanza Coach Isaac Owens said. “They’ve got some great players and they’re a well-coached team. You’ve got to come in and bring your ‘A’ game, and I think we brought pretty close to our ‘A’ game tonight.”

Senior Torey Darin led the Chargers with 10 kils, and Smith had five and four service aces. Senior middle blocker Nick Capriccio added four kills.

If Edison beats Fountain Valley on Tuesday, it could still clinch at least a tie for second by winning against Newport Harbor on Thursday at home. The Chargers lost to the Sailors in five on the road in the teams’ first league meeting.

Thursday’s match will be Senior Night for Edison.