Section Volleyball Playoffs : Bonita Vista Is Derailed by Poway in Three Games

After sweeping through the Metro Conference and the quarterfinal round of the San Diego Section 3-A volleyball playoffs without a defeat, Bonita Vista High must have been wondering when it would face a worthy opponent.

But after 25 minutes of action Tuesday night, Bonita Vista’s opponent--Poway--was probably asking the same question.

Poway (14-2), which finished second in the Palomar League, disposed of second-seeded Bonita Vista, 15-4, in Game 1, then won the next two, 15-12 and 15-11 in advancing to Friday’s finals at Torrey Pines High (7 p.m.) against San Dieguito, which beat Poway in last year’s 3-A finals.

San Dieguito, the tournament’s No. 1 seeded team, topped Mt. Carmel in five games, 15-7, 16-14, 8-15, 10-15, 15-4.

Bonita Vista simply had no answer for Poway’s heavy hitters--Rick Anderson (17 kills), Ethan Meadows (13 kills), Chad Milling (12 kills) and Robert Thomas (nine kills).

Ralph Carrier, Bonita Vista’s coach, said he had never seen the likes of Poway’s front line.

“We don’t have that many good hitters in our league,” said Carrier, whose team had to forfeit two of its victories for using an ineligible player. “They are to us what we are to our league. They just threw too many kids at us. We knew what they were going to do, we just couldn’t stop it.”

Larry Higgins, Poway’s coach, said Bonita Vista’s league can’t compare to the Palomar, which fielded three of the four semifinalists.

“I think Bonita Vista suffers from not playing good competition all year,” said Higgins.

Anderson, a second team All-Palomar selection, wasn’t even supposed to play as he had dislocated his left shoulder on Saturday. He reinjured the shoulder in game three, but it was long after he put the hurt on any hopes Bonita Vista might have of winning.

But even after the victory, Anderson and Higgins were not completely satisfied.

Higgins called time out twice in the third game when his team fell behind 8-6 and 10-9.

“I was worried, because once we go down, we usually go down all the way,” Anderson said. “We weren’t passing well and we were looking at ourselves too much.”

Higgins said his team forgot about looking for one another after the opening game romp.

“If we play like this Friday, we’ll be out of here in 35 minutes,” he said. “After the first game, this is the worst we’ve played in our last eight. We were very sloppy on defense. We started playing as individuals. We regressed. We’ve got two days to get it back.”

San Dieguito won despite playing without its coach, Terry Calen, who missed the game because of personal reasons.

The players were told Tuesday morning Calen would be missing.

“I think it helped them because they really came together,” said J.T. Regan, San Dieguito’s assistant coach.

Regan said he was not worried after his team almost blew its two-game advantage.

“All we had to do was ride the roller coaster out,” Regan said. “I think they stayed together pretty well.”

Section 2-A playoffs

San Pasqual (14-2) will play La Jolla in the San Diego Section 2-A finals. San Pasqual defeated University City 15-11, 15-13, 15-1 in the semifinals. Bruce Williams led San Pasqual with 15 kills.

In the other 2-A semifinal match at Torrey Pines High, La Jolla defeated Escondido, 15-9, 15-9, 15-5. Erich Litch had 13 kills and Kevin Roberts had 12 kills for La Jolla.