Flintridge Prep boys’ volleyball sweeps through rival in Prep League opener
LA CAÑADA — Back at full strength after some of its players were involved with deep postseason runs in basketball and soccer, the Flintridge Prep boys’ volleyball team has its sights set on winning another Prep League championship.
Seven players recently joined the volleyball team, giving it experience and depth. One of them is Dante Fregoso.
Fregoso collected a team-high 11 kills, 12 digs and six aces Tuesday to propel host Flintridge Prep to a 25-18, 25-19, 25-17 win against rival Pasadena Poly in the league opener for both squads.
‘I like where we are right now and we have everybody back,” said Flintridge Prep Coach Sean Beattie, whose team has won three straight league championships. “We know going in there are going to be a lot of tough teams, starting with Poly and Chadwick.
“It’s going to be a good challenge. We have a lot of seniors and younger players. I like the way we are meshing right now.”
Flintridge Prep (10-1) received 30 assists from senior setter Aldridge Khin to take the first of two head-to-head meetings against Pasadena Poly (7-5). Flintridge Prep, ranked sixth in CIF Southern Section Division IV, will compete at Pasadena Poly on April 21.
The Rebels, who reached the CIF semifinals last season, also got seven kills and four blocks from senior middle blocker Miles Johnson and eight kills from freshman outside hitter AJ Nicassio.
Fregoso, who helped the basketball team reach the Division V-AA championship game and the CIF State Division V tournament, set the tone early for the Rebels. The senior outside hitter had four aces in the first game. His last one gave the Rebels a 17-12 advantage.
“It’s just about getting your serve in and staying with it,” said Fregoso, the reigning All-Area Boys’ Volleyball Player of the Year. “Everything just kept going well with the serving and we got off to a good start.
“We were trying to play our game. When you go up against Poly, you really get into it because of the rivalry. Poly came back and gave us a game in the first game. We were able to make some adjustments. We know it’s going to be tough in league again.”
Fregoso closed out the first game with a kill.
“Dante had a lot of aces early in the first game and then Poly made its run to get to within 14-11,” said Beattie, a former All-Area Boys’ Volleyball Coach of the Year.
A kill by Johnson gave the Rebels a 7-3 lead in the third game. He later recorded a kill to make it 24-16.
Flintridge Prep will compete in a home match against Chadwick at 4:30 p.m. Thursday.
“We know it will be a tough matchup,” Beattie said.
