ORANGE COUNTY ALL-STAR VOLLEYBALL GAMES : Blanton, Everett Make Good on Their Billing

Stopping Dain Blanton and Danielle Everett on the volleyball court hasn’t been an easy task this season, and Friday night was no exception.

Blanton of Laguna Beach High School and Everett of Corona del Mar were named most valuable players while leading their teams to victories in the Orange County boys’ and girls’ all-star games at Golden West College.

Blanton, a 6-foot-4 outside hitter, had 14 kills to lead the South boys to a 15-8, 15-8, 17-15 victory over the North.

Everett, a 6-1 outside hitter headed for Stanford, had 19 kills to lead the North girls to a 15-4, 11-15, 15-8 victory. Blanton and Everett were The Times’ Orange County players of the year.

Edison Coach Brian Rofer, who coached the North team, said Blanton was “unstoppable.”

“He’s the Orange County player of the year,” Rofer said, “and he showed it. I saw him playing before the start of the season on some junior club teams. He was a man among boys.”

The same could be said Friday night.

Blanton had 10 kills in the first game as the South raced to a 10-4 lead and held on for the victory. His South teammate, Jeff Janis of Foothill, had seven of his eight kills in the game as well as two aces.

Dana Hills Coach Oz Simmons, who coached the South team, used his second-string players freely in the second game.

Scott Seymour of Woodbridge came off the bench to contribute five kills and El Toro’s Mike Shannon added three as the South built leads of 9-3 and 12-4.

“Our second team did great,” Simmons said. “Our first lineup was taller and was a better blocking team, but our second team was better (back row) defensively.”

Carter Reese of Corona del Mar and Edison’s Steve Snyder had 11 kills each to lead the North.

In the girls’ game, Everett helped offset strong performances by the South’s Dawn Austin (Canyon), Deanna Doolittle (Woodbridge) and Sarah Nelson (Laguna Beach). Doolittle had 13 kills, Nelson nine and Austin eight with three blocks.

Everett had six kills in the first game as the North built leads of 7-0 and 12-3.

But the South, behind Doolittle’s five kills and Austin’s three key blocks, broke an 11-11 tie to win the second game, 15-11.

Everett was back in form for the third game. She had eight kills and Mater Dei’s Mary Eberhart threw off the South with her jump serve as the North rallied from a 5-1 deficit to win, 15-8.

“We got down early in the third game and there wasn’t much energy there,” said Corona del Mar Coach Charlie Brande, who coached the North. “But I put Mary in and the whole level changed with her jump serving and everything.”