Ocean View Is All Smiles After Upsetting Laguna Beach in Final

Even if winning the Orange County Championships wasn’t supposed to be such a big deal for Ocean View, Seahawk Coach Tim Mennealy still wore a big grin Monday night.

That’s because Ocean View upset perennial county powerhouse, Laguna Beach, in the Division I final, 15-9, 10-15, 15-12, at the Bren Center.

Ocean View setter Tracy Lindquist, the tournament MVP, had 19 digs and four kills and all-tournament selection Shelby Jameson had five of her seven kills in Game 3 to help the Seahawks score 11 of the final 15 points.

Mennealy has never worried about rankings or measuring up against the county’s best. He has remained focused on winning the school’s first Southern Section volleyball title.

But Ocean View, which has never advanced past a section playoff semifinal, marched past San Clemente, Calvary Chapel, Huntington Beach, Marina and Los Angeles Marlborough to reach this tournament’s final.

Laguna Beach, the defending section Division I-AA champion and three-time section title winner, grabbed the momentum winning Game 2 behind the steady play of Liz Belloni, who had 12 kills, and Cammie DeGeus, who had seven.

And the Artists took a 7-4 lead in Game 3 before Mennealy called a time out to get the Seahawks “focused.”

Then everyone began chipping in.

Carissa Gough had two kills, Shelby Jameson, who had 18 digs, had a pair of kills, then Sharon Shelton, who had seven kills and 25 digs, brought Ocean View to within, 8-7, with a kill.

The rally continued with Ocean View’s Kelly Jameson serving for five consecutive points, including two aces, to help give the Seahawks a 12-8 lead. Ocean View’s persistent defense helped force two hitting errors to close out the match.

Prophetically, Newport Harbor Coach Dan Glenn pointed to Ocean View before Monday’s final and said, “Now there’s the No. 1 team in the county.”

And now, no one in the county can argue.

In the Division II final:

Long Beach Poly wins--The Jackrabbits lost the first game but recovered to defeat Trabuco Hills, 12-15, 15-5, 15-11. Kelsey Kirkwold had nine of her 17 kills in Game 3 for Poly, which trailed, 6-0 and 11-9 in the final game before rallying for the victory.

Amy Congo led Trabuco Hills with nine kills.