Boys’ Volleyball: CdM sweeps NHHS again
Mitch Haly, Corona del Mar High’s three-sport standout, did his best so as to not ruin the narrative that the Sea Kings’ boys’ volleyball sweep over rival Newport Harbor was a genuine team victory on Saturday. But his face lit up when he talked about what the rivalry win meant to him.
The 29-27, 25-18, 25-23 sweep meant that Haly has gone 11-0 in football (three wins), basketball (four) and volleyball (four) against the Sailors while competing for the Sea Kings. It appeared boys’ volleyball meant the most to him. A lot of the players he knows through competing on the Balboa Bay Volleyball Club.
Yet, of course, this sweep wasn’t all about Mitchell Haly, who had six kills, two solo blocks and three block assists. It truly was, as Conti said, a team victory, as the Sea Kings made the big plays in the first and third sets to pull out CdM’s third straight sweep over Newport Harbor.
Haly proved to be clutch in the first set with a kill for game point and then he blocked Cole Pender’s hit for the game-winner.
“I knew about it coming in and wanted to go undefeated against them,” Haly said moments after bouncing with his teammates in a huddle as they shouted together in celebration. “There were a lot of close ones, but it was a lot of fun.”
The Sea Kings’ sweep appeared to be a lot of fun. There should be some change in the rankings in the CIF Southern Section Division 1 poll, as Newport Harbor (16-5) entered ranked No. 3 and CdM (15-2) at No. 5. The Sailors were also top-ranked in the county by the Register.
CdM made Newport Harbor and that newspaper look bad on Saturday night with sound passing and big plays from Haly and senior Jake Meyer, who had 12 kills on 16 attempts with one error.
“We had some guys grow up tonight,” Conti said. “Jake Meyer did a great job. He’s only been in this program for two years. I thought he played big time on a big-time stage … The strength on this team is our team. The guys we have on the bench and the competition we get in practice with the depth we have is unbelievable.”
Meyer believed CdM’s sweep sent a strong message.
“It’s a big [statement],” Meyer said. “We own this bay.”
Newport Harbor Coach Rocky Ciarelli was surprised the Sea Kings swept. But he said the first and second sets could’ve gone either way, yet he gave credit to CdM for making the plays to win.
Junior setter Patrick Paragas also contributed to the victory with 37 assists. CdM junior outside hitter Brandon Browning had eight kills on 14 attempts with one error and Clay Dickinson added four kills.
Pender, a junior committed to UCLA, led Newport Harbor with 10 kills and four digs. Sailors sophomore Dayne Chalmers added eight kills and senior Spencer Lawrence seven kills. Sophomore setter Joe Karlous finished with 16 assists and sophomore libero Ryan Schroeder had seven digs.
CdM led 24-21 after a Dickinson stuff in the third set, but Newport Harbor scored two straight points before junior Kevin Kobrine ended the match with a kill.
Twitter: @SteveVirgen
