SOUTHERN SECTION DIVISION III VOLLEYBALL SEMIFINALS : Two-Fisted Attack Wins for Crusaders

They could switch uniforms and, except for a slight height difference, could almost get away with it.

Tag-team leaders of the Village Christian offense, they’ve taken turns driving the Crusaders to the Southern Section Division III boys volleyball final.

Chad Hanson had 22 kills, Kiko Banos added 21 and Village Christian earned a date with Santa Ynez with a 15-2, 15-4, 9-15, 15-9 semifinal victory over San Marino Wednesday night at Village Christian.

“We’re always like that,” Hanson joked with Banos after checking the postgame statistics that revealed Hanson had one more kill than his teammate. “You’ll get the next match.”

That would be Saturday’s championship match against top-seeded Santa Ynez at Cypress College at 2 p.m.

It’s taken the second-seeded Crusaders (20-0) four years to make it to the climactic match in Division III.

“I’ve never felt like this before in my life,” said Hanson, one of four seniors who were around when the program began. “I’m elated.”

So were the rest of the Crusaders after the first two games.

They had little trouble bottling up Tony Skogen, San Marino’s standout 6-foot-7 middle blocker.

When Skogen’s attempts weren’t blocked at the net, they were skillfully dug in the back row.

Frustration for San Marino, jubilation for Village Christian.

“It’s the best feeling when they hit the ball their hardest and you’re there for the dig,” said Banos, who had five digs.

Banos, 13 kills, and Hanson, eight kills, supplied the offense after the first two games.

“We came out playing great,” Banos said. “We were pumped.”

San Marino (18-2) came back with some intensity in the third game.

But after four years of waiting, the Crusaders weren’t going to let one game get in the way.

Village Christian, which owned a decisive height advantage, simply went back to basics--Banos and Hanson.

Hanson had eight kills in the fourth game and Banos had four to erase San Marino’s 5-0 lead.

“They hit over our block,” said San Marino Coach Scott Cameron, whose starting lineup was nearly four inches shorter.

“I knew it was going to be a problem, but I didn’t think it was going to be that big of a problem.”

It was.

The Crusaders had 10 blocks, San Marino had three.

The Crusaders also had more depth.

“That’s one of our keys to success,” said Crusader Coach Steve Levoe.

“We have great balance.”

And they also have confidence, something that could come in handy against Santa Ynez, the top-ranked team in Division III since before the season.