No. 2 Sea Kings Stop No. 1 Sailors for Title

Although it wasn’t a postseason preview, the Orange County Championships boys’ volleyball tournament delivered a playoff-caliber final in the Division I championship match Monday at Golden West College.

Middle blocker Greg Coon, the tournament MVP, had 23 kills and three blocks and the Sea Kings’ other middle blocker, Dennis Alshuler, had 18 kills and four blocks to help Corona del Mar edge Sea View League-rival Newport Harbor, 15-9, 14-16, 15-11.

It was a mild upset for second-ranked Corona del Mar to topple Newport Harbor, the top-ranked team in the county.

These teams will meet two more times this season in league play, but they won’t face each other in the playoffs. Corona del Mar is eligible for the Southern Section Division III playoffs; Newport Harbor is in Division I.

But Monday’s match had plenty of postseason flavor.

“For a three-game match to go 2 1/2 hours,” Corona del Mar Coach Steve Conti said, “there’s a lot of good volleyball played out there. They’re the No. 1 team in the county and we’re lucky to be here.

“But once you get to the championship match, anything can happen.”

Newport Harbor rallied to tie Corona del Mar, 9-9, in Game 3, with setter Travis Nelson tallying 21 of his 60 assists in the final game. And the Sailors erased five match points but finally lost when Newport Harbor’s Matt Jameson’s spike went long.

Jameson and middle blockers Rick Robinson and Scott Dore each had 15 kills for Newport Harbor and Scott Archbold added 14. Archbold had 21 kills in Newport Harbor’s 15-13, 12-15, 15-12 victory over fourth-ranked Marina in the semifinal also Monday.

“We had two tough matches tonight,” Newport Harbor Coach Dan Glenn said. “I think our kids got a little worn down, but hey, Corona del Mar just did a little better job than we did.”

Newport Harbor also played short-handed with 6-foot-6 middle blocker Adam Hearlson sitting on the bench in street clothes, nursing a sprained ankle he suffered Saturday during the first day of the tournament.

Robinson (6 feet 3) and Dore (6-3) picked up some of the slack, but Corona del Mar took advantage of Hearlson’s absence with Coon (6-6) and Alshuler (6-5).

“They’re a great duo in the middle,” Conti said. “And they also open up some opportunities for our outside guys too.”

Corona del Mar setter Kevin Hansen, a sophomore, had 52 assists and seven kills and spread it around.

When Hansen wasn’t feeding Coon and Alshuler, Greg Burden chipped in with 10 kills and Greg Stampley added seven. And outside hitter Mike Jackson had two consecutive kills to close out Game 1, 15-9.

Although Newport Harbor took control in the second game, Corona del Mar erased a five-point deficit and tied it, 14-14, on a block by Alshuler. Then Newport Harbor needed five game points before Archbold blocked Coon to force a third game.

Corona del Mar didn’t need three games in the semifinals, defeating third-ranked Laguna Beach, 15-11, 15-10.

In Division II:

Servite wins--Tournament MVP Eric Barnes had 12 kills to lead Servite past Golden West League-rival Ocean View, 15-8, 15-12, in the final. Scott Lambert added 11 kills and Mike Deal had 10 for the Friars.