VOLLEYBALL ROUNDUP : Huntington Beach Bounces Santa Ana

Santa Ana may be the new kid on the block when it comes to the top Sunset League volleyball teams, but Huntington Beach is still the neighborhood bully.

Huntington Beach, league champion three of the last four years, swept upstart Santa Ana, 15-2, 15-8, 15-1, in a league match Friday night at Huntington Beach.

Santa Ana is enjoying its best season since the founding of the program five years ago. But the Saints (9-2, 6-2 in league) were no match for the Oilers (10-0, 8-0).

The Oilers, ranked fourth in the county and fifth in Southern Section Division I, needed only one hour 25 minutes to sweep the eighth-ranked Saints for the second time this season. Huntington Beach has not lost a game in league play this season.

“We’re where we want to be right now,” Huntington Beach Coach Rocky Ciarelli said. “We’re 8-0 in league. People say our league is not as tough this year, but that’s the way it is.

“We’re not even close to peaking yet. Tonight, I put a lot of different combinations of players out there every game. We’re not even close.”

The only tense moment came in the second game with Huntington Beach leading, 11-5.

Santa Ana outside hitter John Boyd and Huntington Beach middle blocker Nick Ziegler started talking trash to each other after a Santa Ana point, and the confrontation spilled over to the coaches. Ziegler had to restrain Ciarelli during a heated exchange with a Santa Ana assistant coach.

“It’s unfortunate that it had to happen,” Ciarelli said of the incident. “I have a lot of respect for Santa Ana, more for them than a lot of teams because they work so much harder than everyone.”

Santa Ana used the incident to gain momentum, cutting the deficit to 11-8. Then Huntington Beach middle blocker Chris Swann took over, blocking four consecutive balls to give the Oilers the game.

Swann had 10 kills and six blocks, and outside hitter Shadd Walker added 11 kills for Huntington Beach. Boyd led Santa Ana with 18 kills.

After the match, Ciarelli said the Oilers will need to go undefeated in league and win remaining nonleague matches against San Marcos and Laguna Beach to be one of four seeded teams in next month’s section playoffs. The Oilers are ranked fifth behind top-ranked Capistrano Valley, Manhattan Beach Mira Costa, Dos Pueblos and Laguna Beach.

“The Laguna Beach match will be very important,” Ciarelli said. “I always find it interesting how all the Orange County teams are paired against each other in the playoffs. I find that very peculiar.”

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In other Sunset League play:

Fountain Valley 3, Servite 0--Dan Arvesen had 13 kills and Rob Foster had 10 kills and nine blocks for host Fountain Valley (8-2, 6-2).

Marina 3, Westminster 0--Junior Mike Wirthlin had 20 kills for visiting Marina (2-9, 2-7), which won, 15-12, 15-6, 16-14. Steve Cavella had 51 assists for the Vikings.

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In the Empire League:

El Dorado 3, Cypress 0--Phil Greenwood had 11 kills and Alex Naughton had nine kills and six blocks for host El Dorado (6-2, 1-2) which won, 15-7, 15-5, 15-5. Cypress is 0-3 in league.

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In the Pacific Coast League:

Laguna Beach 3, Costa Mesa 0--Dan Styles, Nate Pivaroff and Nate Ellis each had 10 kills to lead Laguna Beach (7-1, 4-0), 15-5, 15-3, 15-5.

Trabuco Hills 3, Laguna Hills 0--Doug MacLeod had 22 kills for host Trabuco Hills (3-7, 2-2), which won, 15-12, 15-13, 15-5.

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In the Sea View League:

Newport Harbor 3, Saddleback 0--Greg Osborne had six kills and 32 assists for visiting Newport Harbor (7-3).

University 3, Santa Margarita 0--Robb Cerruti had 17 kills and Greg Sternchak had 16 for host Santa Margarita (2-6, 2-6), which lost, 15-10, 15-8, 15-13.

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In South Coast League:

Capistrano Valley 3, Mater Dei 0--Steve Thornton had 13 kills to lead Capistrano Valley (10-0, 4-0), 15-6, 15-9, 15-4.