PREP VOLLEYBALL / SOUTHERN SECTION DIVISION I CHAMPIONSHIPS : Loyola Ends Title Hopes for San Clemente

It was simply too much to ask for.

San Clemente, playing in its first boys’ volleyball championship match in 14 years, watched Los Angeles Loyola end any hopes for a storybook finish by posting a convincing four-game victory in the Southern Section Division I boys’ volleyball championship Saturday at Cypress College.

Dan Farmer had 23 kills to lead a balanced attack for top-seeded Loyola, which defeated unseeded San Clemente, 13-15, 15-12, 15-5, 15-8, in front of 2,000.

Heavily favored Loyola (20-1), with a starting lineup that averages 6 feet 3, won its first title since 1988 and sixth in school history. The Cubs have won more boys’ volleyball championships than any school in the section.

But the Tritons (17-6)--who had playoff upsets over Sunset League champion Fountain Valley and second-seeded Manhattan Beach Mira Costa to reach the final--put a scare into the Cubs with a phenomenal Game 1 performance.

“We knew it was going to be a major coup if we were to pull off the upset,” San Clemente Coach Mike Hurlbut said. “But it was too tough to maintain the type of intensity we’ve had for the past few days.

“I sensed that drop in intensity, but I didn’t want to admit it. But then I thought after Game 1 . . . “

Senior Gabe Gardner, a 6-9 outside hitter who has signed a letter of intent with USC, had 11 of his match-high 29 kills in the first game to help San Clemente rally for a 15-13 victory. Corin Bemus had 10 of his 22 kills and setter Brandon Taliaferro had 21 of his 54 assists in Game 1.

“I never had a game like that before,” Gardner said. “But that was only one game and that doesn’t win a match. It seemed like in the first game, Loyola wasn’t into it.

“In the second game, they got into it.”

A block by Gardner and a hitting error gave San Clemente a 12-9 lead in Game 2, but Loyola closed out the game with six consecutive points.

San Clemente never recovered.

Loyola setter Steve Dunne (62 assists) kept San Clemente off-balance by spreading the ball around. In addition to Dan Farmer, Tim Farmer had 17 kills, Pat Klein had 12, Lee Bennett had 11 and Brad Walsh had 10.

Middle blockers Dan Farmer (6-4) and Bennett (6-5) took advantage of San Clemente’s smaller front-line players, including Chris Katke (5-7) and Chris Boden (6-2).

“We’ve given up the middle to everyone we’ve faced,” Hurlbut said, “and we outlasted Fountain Valley and Mira Costa on sheer guts and determination.

“It was very tough to accept the second-place plaque, but there are a lot of teams that didn’t get this far.”