Boys’ Volleyball: CdM returns ‘home’

As the top seed in any playoff, you usually play at home.

The Corona del Mar High boys’ volleyball team will not have that luxury of competing on its campus during the CIF Southern California Regional Division II playoffs.

Instead, the top-seeded Sea Kings (28-3) will play host to its semifinal match against No. 4 South Pasadena (21-2) at rival Newport Harbor High on Thursday at 7 p.m. The contest moved across the bay because CdM Athletic Director Don Grable said the CdM gym has another event scheduled that same night.

If CdM moves past South Pasadena, the final is at Cerritos College on Saturday at 5 p.m. The winner between CdM and South Pasadena, the CIF South Section Division 3 champion, will face the winner of No. 3 Carlsbad La Costa Canyon, the CIF San Diego Open Division champion, and No. 2 Esperanza, the CIF Southern Section Division 2 champion.

The Sea Kings, CIF Southern Section Division 1 semifinalists, are expected to reach their second Southern California Regional Division II finale since 2011, when they won the event for the first time.

Outside hitters Ryan Moss and Joey Martino, middle blockers Tommy Brooks and Augie Miller, opposite Kevin Fults, and setter Matt Ctvrtlik lead the Sea Kings, whose setbacks this season have come against Huntington Beach, the defending Southern California Regional Division I champion and Los Angeles Loyola, the Southern California Regional Division I runner-up.

The Sea Kings opened the Southern California Regional Division II playoffs with a 25-19, 25-15, 25-17 sweep at No. 8 Los Angeles Eagle Rock on Tuesday, setting up a home match away from CdM.