Southern Section Volleyball Playoffs : La Quinta to Test No. 2 Los Altos in Quarterfinals

What Larry James, La Quinta High School boys’ volleyball coach, knows about Los Altos, his team’s quarterfinal opponent in the Southern Section 3-A playoffs tonight (7:30, at La Quinta), could fill matchbooks.

He knows their uniforms are red, white and blue. He knows they won the Whitmont League championship and that about a month ago when he saw them at a tournament they looked a little out of sync.

“Of course that was only for a few minutes,” he said. “They were losing.”

Los Altos seems to have righted any problems, entering the playoffs as the No. 2 seeded team.

Is James worried? Well, after La Quinta’s second round victory over Downey, a match that started at 4:30, James had the opportunity to scout Los Altos’ second round match, which started at 7:30. Did he go?

“I started to think about that drive to Hacienda Heights and what time I’d get home . . . “

You figure it out.

“I think if you (just) worry about what your team is going to do you’ll be just fine,” he said.

In 16 years as La Quinta’s coach, James has developed exceptional talent, such as Mike Whitcomb who went on to play at UCLA this season, and has led La Quinta to two Southern Section semifinals.

This season’s team got off to a resounding thud with four straight losses. Of course, the losses came against the likes of San Clemente, Marina, Huntington Beach and Mira Costa, all schools that qualified for the 4-A playoffs.

La Quinta went 15-0 from that point and cruised to its second straight Garden Grove League championship on the strength of a ball control offense and dependable passing. Of the team’s 11 members, six played on the junior varsity last season.

“The rest of the team were part-time starters at best,” James said.

Setter Bryan Petersen was a back row specialist last season, who didn’t start setting until last summer.

Also helping with the setting is Tony Price, who also plays outside hitter. La Quinta is big up front with middle blockers Craig Frisby (6-foot 4-inches) and Tom Potwora (6-3).

In the 4-A, No. 1-seeded Santa Monica plays at Marina; Newport Harbor plays at Woodbridge; Edison plays at Dana Hills and No. 2-seeded Loyola plays at Laguna Beach.