PREP ROUNDUP : Huntington Beach Sweeps Laguna Beach

Only a year ago, Huntington Beach’s volleyball team was swept by Laguna Beach in the final week of the regular season.

But it certainly wasn’t an indication of things to come for the Oilers, who overcame the disappointing loss and went on to reach the Southern Section Division I finals.

So that’s why Huntington Beach Coach Rocky Ciarelli kept the Oilers’ 15-4, 15-8, 15-7 sweep of Laguna Beach Monday night in proper perspective.

It’s an important victory, as far as playoff seedings are concerned, but it was only a nonleague match.

The Oilers, 15-0 and second-ranked in Orange County, tightened their grip on the No. 3 seeding in Division I with the victory over the Artists, fourth-ranked in the county and division.

Huntington Beach can clinch the No. 3 seeding or better by winning its third consecutive Sunset League title this week. The Oilers take a 40-match league winning streak into tonight’s showdown with 10th-ranked Fountain Valley (12-2).

“I told the kids that this match (against Laguna Beach) was important to keep the No. 3 seed,” Ciarelli said. “We wanted to stay away from (top-ranked) Capistrano Valley. I would have to say they’re the favorite right now.”

Based on current rankings, the third-ranked Oilers wouldn’t meet the top-ranked Cougars until the finals. Playoff pairings will be announced Monday.

“We have to get through a lot of teams until we get to (the finals),” Ciarelli said. “We have Fountain Valley (tonight). We’ll take it from there.”

Mike Grave and Shadd Walker each had nine kills as Huntington Beach avenged a loss it suffered to Laguna Beach in the semifinals of the Orange County Championships in March.

The Oilers played the first Laguna Beach match without starting setter Chris Jones and outside hitters Tommy Walden and Jon Wimbish, who were still playing basketball.

All three players were back Monday night, with Jones contributing 22 assists and five kills in only two games. Walden added four kills and Wimbish had three.

But Laguna Beach wasn’t at full strength. Senior David Berney, an all-Orange County setter, sat out with a sore left ankle he injured at the Redondo Beach tournament last weekend.

Sophomore Kurt Nelson struggled as his replacement. His high, arching sets allowed Huntington Beach to set up its blocking. Laguna Beach also finished with 15 hitting errors.

“The bottom line is setting makes a big difference,” Laguna Beach Coach Michael Soylular said. “It wasn’t all Kurt. We didn’t have a middle (blocking) either. But if a setter makes that much of a difference, then I can’t wait for David to get back.”

Sophomore Dan Styles led Laguna Beach with 11 kills.

In the first round of the Orange League golf finals:

Woods leads--Western’s Tiger Woods shot a first-round, two-under-par 70 at Skylinks to take a three-shot lead. The finals conclude today.

In nonleague golf:

Sunny Hills 393, Marina 423--Medalist Paul Ohshima shot a one-over 73 for Marina at Los Coyotes. Terry Noe shot a 74 for Sunny Hills (14-2-1).

In Olympic League softball:

Capistrano Valley Christian 7, Orange Lutheran 3--Jennifer Moine pitched a six-hitter with 10 strikeouts and also had three hits, two runs batted in and a home run for host Capistrano Valley Christian (3-11, 1-8).

In Century League boys’ tennis:

Canyon 9, Foothill 9 (Canyon wins on games, 74-72)--Warren Chang and Andy Choi won the decisive set in doubles, 6-4, to give host Canyon the victory. Eric Lin, who is 15-0 this season, swept in singles, 6-3, 6-0, 6-0, and Jerry Liao and Heath Kula swept in doubles, 6-2, 6-2, 6-2, for Canyon (10-7, 5-3). Foothill is 7-2 in league.