It Wasn’t Perfect, but Mira Costa Is Happy With Win

Mira Costa High volleyball Coach Mike Cook liked what he saw Friday night. For awhile, anyway.

Cook said the Mustangs played the best they have all season in winning the first game, 15-2, and grabbing a 9-3 lead in the second game against visiting Rio Mesa of Oxnard.

Just as quickly, though, the magic was gone. Rio Mesa came back to win the second game, but Mira Costa recovered nicely in the third and fourth games to post a hard-fought 15-2, 10-15, 15-10, 15-11 victory in the first round of the Southern Section 4-A Division playoffs.

Cook was encouraged by the Mustangs’ early brilliance, but disappointed that they were unable to sustain it.

“In the first game and the first half of the second game we played like a team that could win the CIF championship, without a doubt,” he said. “After that, we reverted to what has been typical Mira Costa play this year. We made a lot of mistakes which allowed the other team to play with us.”

Cook said the Mustangs can’t afford any letdowns in their second-round match at 7:30 Tuesday night against Woodbridge of Irvine at Mira Costa. The Warriors, who were ranked No. 3 in the division before having to forfeit two matches because of an ineligible player, beat Mira Costa, 15-7, April 27 in the Redondo-Mira Costa tournament and opened the playoffs with a convincing 15-7, 15-13, 15-7 victory over Santa Margarita.

“If we play like we did in the first game and a half against Rio Mesa, we’ll win,” Cook said. “If we play like we did in the last two and a half games, we’ll lose.”

Mira Costa’s play in the early going Friday was reminiscent of last year’s team, which went 22-0 and captured the CIF and mythical national titles.

“It was a sight to behold,” Cook said. “My coaches and I were looking at each other and saying, ‘Hey, this is what we’ve been waiting for.’ That’s why it was so disappointing to see that disintegration.”

Cook said the play of middle blockers Scott Letourneau and Mark Pioch was instrumental against Rio Mesa, which boasted a talented middle man of its own in Luiz Villaca, a 6-foot-7 exchange student from Brazil. The 6-5 Letourneau had seven kills and six blocks and Pioch had 12 kills and four blocks.

“The middle played magnificently,” Cook said.

Others who contributed to the victory were outside hitters Mark Shoptaw (22 kills, six jump-serving aces), Cameron Green (12 kills) and Neal O’Brien (nine digs) and sophomore setter Zane Smythe, who set the middle effectively.

“They’ve tasted something really good,” Cook said of his players. “Now if they can just sustain it. Whatever happens from here, it’s in the hands of the players. As coaches, we’ve brought them as far as we can bring them. Now it’s up to them.”

Pacific League champion Banning is the No. 1 seed for the L.A. City 4-A Division baseball playoffs, but the Pilots sure didn’t play like it Thursday.

San Pedro routed the Pilots, 12-2, in a league finale to give Pirate Coach Jerry Lovarov his 400th career victory in 31 seasons.

“We rolled over and played dead,” said Banning Coach Syl Saavedra, whose team finished the regular season with a 17-6 record, 15-2 in league play. “I guess the idea of being league champs and being seeded No. 1 caused us to look ahead to Wednesday’s game.”

Banning will open the playoffs at 3 p.m. Wednesday against the winner of Monday’s wild-card game between Van Nuys and Westchester.

Thursday’s loss was reminiscent of the way the 1990 season ended for the Pilots. After already clinching the league title, Banning lost to Carson and was then upset at home in a playoff opener by Palisades.

Saavedra said he hasn’t let his players, most of whom were on last year’s varsity team, forget the disappointing way the 1990 season ended.

“I’ve been talking about it all year; that’s my rallying point,” he said. “We didn’t do well (in the playoffs) last year because we were young. Now we have a lot of veterans on the team. We’re going to be all right.”

Right-handed pitcher Mike Busby (9-0, nine complete games) will start the playoff opener as Banning attempts to become the first non-San Fernando Valley school to win the City major division title since 1973.

The other seeded 4-A teams, in order, are East Valley League champion Sylmar, Western League champion University and West Valley League champion Chatsworth.

Narbonne is another South Bay school considered a contender for a City baseball title. The Gauchos (18-7) are the No. 2 seed in the 3-A Division playoffs and play host to Huntington Park on Wednesday.

Northeast League champion Wilson is the No. 1 seed, with Southeastern League champion South Gate seeded No. 3 and Metro League champion Fairfax seeded No. 4.

Rolling Hills baseball Coach Garry Poe knew it was coming, but he admitted he wasn’t fully prepared for the emotions that took over Friday after Rolling Hills and Palos Verdes competed against each other for the last time in athletics.

The two schools and Miraleste will consolidate in the fall, forming Palos Verdes Peninsula High on the Rolling Hills campus.

“It was sad, and I didn’t think it would be,” Poe said.

Rolling Hills finished the Ocean League season with a 3-2 victory over its rival. Afterward, both teams took part in a barbecue at Rolling Hills.

“It was nice,” Poe said. “The PV kids stuck around and ate. There was some reluctance to leave on everyone’s part.”

The difference is that Poe knows he will return to the field Friday. The Titans (15-6-1) earned a home game for the Southern Section 4-A playoffs by winning the league title. For Palos Verdes, there will be no other games. The Sea Kings (9-13-1) missed the playoffs after finishing fourth.

In all probability, the game also marked the end of the coaching reign of Gil Eberhard, 58, who guided Palos Verdes to 332 victories in 25 seasons.

Look for Poe to be named baseball coach at the new high school.

Baseball by the numbers:

* Pioneer League champion Torrance might be the area’s hottest team. The Tartars (20-5) have won 15 of 16 games after shutting out West Torrance, 8-0, Friday in a league finale at Torrance Park.

* Torrance catcher Jason Kendall batted two for four Friday to extend his hitting streak to 31 games, currently the longest streak in the state. Jakob Jensen of Highland Hall in Northridge set the state record by hitting safely in 33 consecutive games, but his streak ended when he went hitless in three at-bats in a game on Tuesday. Kendall is No. 2 on the state’s all-time list.

* Kendall ended the regular season with a school-record 46 runs batted in, eclipsing the previous record of 41 set last season by outfielder Eric Gonzalez.

* Torrance third baseman Antone Williamson is the South Bay’s all-time hit leader with 152. He passed the previous record of 147 set by Redondo’s Scott Davison from 1985-88. Williamson is batting .563 (40 for 71) this season.

* El Segundo catcher Jeff Poor drove in three runs Friday night in a 13-1 victory over St. Francis of La Canada to give him a school-record 54 RBIs this season. The old record was 51 set last season by Tate Seefried. The Southern Section record of 58 was set by Davison in 1987.

* Rolling Hills ace Kirt Kishita (8-2, 0.68 earned-run average) has pitched six shutouts and not allowed an earned run in 55 consecutive innings. He last gave up an earned run on March 8 against Edison of Huntington Beach in the El Segundo tournament. He has one no-hitter and three one-hitters this season.

* West Torrance’s Brian Fitzgerald and Kishita are the South Bay strikeout leaders. Fitzgerald has 95 strikeouts in 68 1/3 innings pitched. Kishita has 94 strikeouts in 72 innings.

Poor and Kendall, the respective catchers for El Segundo and Torrance, are having outstanding seasons. Between them, they have 100 RBIs.

So, who’s better?

A veteran South Bay coach says the edge goes to Poor.

“Poor is a catcher and a hitter,” he said. “Kendall is a hitter who catches. Poor is definitely the best.”

South Torrance pitcher Keith Schaefer, a junior left-hander, ended the Pioneer League season by throwing a perfect game Friday in an 11-0 victory over visiting North Torrance. Schaefer (5-3) struck out seven and threw 67 pitches as South improved to 15-9 overall and tied for second with West in league play at 8-4.

Another left-hander, Brian Wise of El Segundo, was nearly as overpowering in a San Fernando Valley League finale against St. Francis. Wise (8-1) allowed three hits (all in the first inning), struck out 13 and retired the last 19 batters in a 13-1 victory as the Eagles improved to 24-4 and completed league play with a perfect 10-0 record.