VOLLEYBALL AT HERMOSA BEACH : Smith and Stoklos Show Up After Threatening Boycott

Sinjin Smith and Randy Stoklos didn’t follow through on their threat to sit out the $250,000 Miller Lite U.S. Open pro beach volleyball championships Friday at Hermosa Beach.

Smith and Stoklos, seeded second, won their first- and second-round matches in the three-day, double-elimination tournament, advancing to today’s quarterfinals against 26th-seeded Neil Riddell and Sean Smith.

Smith and Stoklos, both of Pacific Palisades, had said they would boycott the tournament unless the Assn. of Volleyball Professionals’ board of directors rescinded a $70,000 fine levied against them for violating the tour’s players’ agreement.

The board upheld its decision, but Smith and Stoklos played under protest. They beat 34th-seeded Mike Schleggel and Rick Arce in the first round, 15-9, and 18th-seeded Sean Fallowfield and Shawn Davis in the second, 12-4.

Smith and Stoklos were fined and suspended from last week’s Santa Cruz tournament for skipping the Seal Beach Open two weeks ago to play in Spain’s Olympic year ’92 championships, a tournament not sanctioned by the AVP. The AVP’s fine was equal to the money Smith and Stoklos earned in Spain.

The players refused to pay it, saying they were only promoting beach volleyball as an Olympic sport. AVP President Jon Stevenson said the fine will be taken out of prize money Smith and Stoklos have already won.

Top-seeded Karch Kiraly and Kent Steffes of Pacific Palisades cruised through the first two rounds. They defeated Andreas Koch and Ali Tazerouni in the first round, 15-1, and Robert Chavez and Chris Young in the second, 15-6. Kiraly and Steffes will play ninth-seeded John Hanley and Dan Vrebalovich in the quarterfinals.

Sixth-seeded Mike Dodd and Pat Powers, who won two weeks ago at Seal Beach, lost to 38th-seeded Marcello Duarte and Rob Heidger, 14-11.

Riddell and Smith upset seventh-seeded Larry Mear and Eric Wurts, 15-13.

Eric Fonoimoana and Kevin Waterbury, seeded 23rd, upset 10th-seeded Tim Walmer and Scott Friederichsen, 14-12.

Competition resumes today at 10 a.m.