THE TIMES’ ALL-COUNTY TEAMS : Blanton Proves to Be Powerful Hitting Force for Laguna Beach : Volleyball: Senior led county in kills, but is disappointed he wasn’t able to lead his Artist teammates to major titles.

As Dain Blanton reminisces about his senior year at Laguna Beach High School, his words are laced with a dash of disappointment.

“We pretty much came up short this year,” said Blanton, a 6-foot-4 outside hitter on the Artists’ volleyball team and a forward on the basketball team. “We came close in basketball and made it to the (quarterfinals) in volleyball, but we didn’t pull it off.”

In basketball, Blanton averaged 19 points and six rebounds in leading the Artists to a 23-7 record, the Southern Section 2-A championship game and the Southern California Regional Division IV semifinals.

In volleyball, the Artists were 14-4 and reached the Southern Section 4-A quarterfinals.

Although the Artists let three team championships slip away, Blanton did achieve at least one individual award. He is The Times’ Orange County volleyball player of the year.

Blanton led the county in kills this season, averaging 33 a match, including a career-high 46 in a five-game victory over Huntington Beach in April.

His powerful hitting attracted offers from several colleges before he committed to Pepperdine two weeks ago. He and several other top players will compete in the Orange County Coaches’ Assn. all-star game at 6 p.m. Friday at Golden West College.

Huntington Beach Coach Rocky Ciarelli said he wasn’t surprised when Blanton had his career night against the Oilers. As the five-game match wore on, Blanton gained momentum.

“That’s what Blanton’s supposed to do,” Ciarelli said. “I expected that from him. We did well against him on the front line, but it was when he came from the back row that he gave us trouble.”

But Blanton was the one who was troubled at the start of the volleyball season. He and Laguna Beach Coach Lance Stewart had their doubts about the Artists’ young, inexperienced lineup.

Blanton was the only returning starter from last year’s team that reached the 4-A semifinals. Several of the team’s long-time players, including Sean Stafford, had graduated.

“Lance wasn’t sure what we could do this year,” Blanton said. “In the beginning, I was totally frustrated. Last year, I was playing with guys I was used to. I was surrounded by so much talent.

“This year, I had to step up and be the leader. I knew what I had to do.”

The transition wasn’t easy. Because of the basketball team’s success, Blanton got a late start on volleyball and didn’t reach top form until late in the season. And Blanton, who was used to playing with older, experienced players such as Stafford, was now surrounded by younger players.

“I got used to hitting twice as many (balls) as I did last year,” Blanton said. “It was fun, but we didn’t go far without everyone. It’s like Mira Costa (this year’s Southern Section 4-A champions), that’s the way we were last year.”

Blanton says he plays no favorites between volleyball and basketball. He enjoys both and divides his time equally between them. From September to February, he plays basketball; from February to August, he plays volleyball.

But on the beach, volleyball is king, and Blanton grew up playing against some of the world’s best. He already is a triple-A rated beach player, which is one level below the rating of the professionals he wants to join someday.

“I like beach (two-man) volleyball more than six-man because there’s more action,” Blanton said. “Everything is spread around and it’s fast-paced.”

But Blanton’s life style is anything but fast-paced. He’s adopted an easy-going attitude while growing up in Laguna Beach and later El Toro.

He also takes in stride, but doesn’t ignore, the fact that he’s one of the few black players participating in high school volleyball.

“I’m sure if I excelled more I could be a role model to younger black kids,” Blanton said. “But that’s not something I think about very much. I just play and what happens will happen, no matter what color I am. I’m just out there to win.”

Blanton has the same attitude in the classroom, as his 3.4 grade-point average shows. He plans to study business administration at Pepperdine.

Blanton said he has learned from the mistakes of his older brother, Kurt, who was recruited heavily while playing for the Artists in the early 1980s, but missed a scholarship because of marginal grades.

“One of my fifth-grade teachers told me back then if I kept my grades up, I could write my own ticket,” Blanton said.

ALL-COUNTY BOYS’ VOLLEYBALL TEAM

FIRST TEAM

Player School Position Hgt Dain Blanton Laguna Beach Outside hitter 6-4 Orange County Coaches’ most valuable player; has committed to Pepperdine Aaron Boone Edison Setter 6-5 Sunset League most valuable player; signed by USC Jason Hinchman Dana Hills Setter 6-3 South Coast League most valuable player Steve Lucas Huntington Beach Outside hitter 6-7 One of the top hitters in the county Carter Reese Corona del Mar Middle blocker 6-5 Sea View League most valuable player; signed by UC Santa Barbara Karl Van Reusen Edison Middle blocker 6-5 Led Chargers to Southern Section 4-A finals

Player Year Dain Blanton Senior Orange County Coaches’ most valuable player; has committed to Pepperdine Aaron Boone Senior Sunset League most valuable player; signed by USC Jason Hinchman Senior South Coast League most valuable player Steve Lucas Senior One of the top hitters in the county Carter Reese Senior Sea View League most valuable player; signed by UC Santa Barbara Karl Van Reusen Senior Led Chargers to Southern Section 4-A finals

SECOND TEAM

Player School Position Hgt Clark Brogger Corona del Mar Middle blocker 6-2 Helped Sea Kings reach 4-A quarterfinals Joey Cohen Woodbridge Middle blocker 6-3 Led Warriors to 4-A quarterfinals Doug Cunningham Huntington Beach Outside hitter 6-2 Helped Oilers to 13-4 record Alex Opoulos Newport Harbor Setter/ 6-0 Will play soccer at UC Santa Outside hitter Barbara Mike Shannon El Toro Middle blocker 6-7 Will play volleyball at Pepperdine Scott Seymour Woodbridge Outside hitter 6-1 Two-time all-Pacific Coast League pick

Player Year Clark Brogger Senior Helped Sea Kings reach 4-A quarterfinals Joey Cohen Senior Led Warriors to 4-A quarterfinals Doug Cunningham Senior Helped Oilers to 13-4 record Alex Opoulos Senior Will play soccer at UC Santa Barbara Mike Shannon Senior Will play volleyball at Pepperdine Scott Seymour Senior Two-time all-Pacific Coast League pick

Player of the year: Dain Blanton, Laguna Beach

Honorable mention: Greg Amaya, Mission Viejo; Daryl Ayers, Edison; Todd Beebe, Woodbridge; Ryan Benn, Capistrano Valley; Josh Borella, Laguna Beach; Greg Evans, Ocean View; Zolti Csanyi, University; Chris Doherty, La Quinta; Garrett Gee, University; Dane Gorup, Foothill; Greg Gratteau, Marina; Nick Hannemann, Huntington Beach; Nate Haugh, Woodbridge; Chris Hocker, Ocean View; Vance Hickin, Capistrano Valley; Jeff Janis, Foothill; Ian Juberg, Newport Harbor; Mark McAnlis, Newport Harbor; Mike Maloco, El Toro; Mike Manthei, Woodbridge; John Mull, Marina; Steve Olsen, Corona del Mar; Richard Pearce, Rancho Alamitos; Paul Price, La Quinta; Rich Romero, Estancia; Hector Salcedo, Santa Ana; Steve Snyder, Edison; Eric Spraker, Laguna Beach; Greg Stone, Trabuco Hills; Chris Swanner, Irvine; Rich Talman, Tustin; J.B. Taylor, Dana Hills; Matt Taylor, Huntington Beach; Ryan Van Rensselaer, El Toro; Martin Wagner, University; Ki Yi, Ocean View.