Assistants at La Habra Provide Winning Examples

Missy Clements and Zrinka Kristich enjoyed the highest level of success during their playing days at La Habra High and they have returned to coach at their alma mater, helping to bring about a championship resurgence.

Last season, La Habra won its first Southern Section girls’ volleyball title since 1991, winning the Division II-A title. The Highlanders (10-6, 6-0 in league) are currently ranked fourth in their division. But section titles were almost routine at La Habra for Kristich and Clements.

Clements helped La Habra win Division II state titles and section Division 3-A titles in 1989 and ’90 before moving on to become Cal State Northridge’s all-time kill leader, playing from 1991-94.

Kristich was also a member of the La Habra championship teams in 1989 and ‘90, playing with her sister Ana.

Zrinka helped the Highlanders win their third consecutive Division II state and section Division 3-A titles in 1991.

“I constantly bring that up with the girls,” said Kristich, a first-year junior varsity coach and varsity assistant. “They aspire to get to that level and they know it’s been done before.”

After playing four years of basketball at UCLA from 1992-95, Kristich said she missed volleyball.

Kristich works as a substitute teacher at La Habra. She is also attending classes at Cal State Fullerton in order to complete a bachelor’s degree in English--she earned a sociology degree at UCLA--before working on her teaching credential.

Clements has no teaching aspirations, but coaching suits her. She works as a bartender three nights a week but spends the other four working as Coach Troy Abbey’s varsity assistant. Clements was a volunteer assistant last season.

“I think Zrinka and I bring a winning attitude, aggressiveness and experience,” Clements said. “And the potential is here. It’s just if they can execute.”

Players like junior Keao Burdine, a 6-foot outside hitter, give Kristich and Clements cause for excitement. Still, both said the adjustments to coaching haven’t always been easy.

“As a player, you could always do something,” Kristich said. “As a coach, you have no control what happens on the court.”

Said Clements: “I was always a lazy practice player. But now when someone isn’t going hard in practice, it bothers me. And if I get on them, it’s like I can’t believe I’m saying that. But practice has been fun lately because we’ve been winning.”

MORE COUNTY NO. 1s

Orange County has five top-ranked teams in the latest Southern Section coaches’ polls. And St. Margaret’s strengthened its hold on its No. 1 ranking in Division V-AA with a good showing at the Los Angeles Brentwood tournament last weekend.

St. Margaret’s lost to Brentwood, the top-ranked team in Division IV-A, in the final, but the Tartans still played well.

St. Margaret’s defeated Division V-AA teams second-ranked Calabasas Viewpoint, third-ranked Palos Verdes Chadwick and also topped Sun Valley Village Christian, ranked fourth in Division IV-A.

Allison Bendush, a 5-foot-7 outside hitter who is being recruited by Harvard, Dartmouth and UC San Diego, earned all-tournament honors along with middle blocker Monique Kettler and setter Marissa Balak.

NO DIVIDED LOYALTIES HERE

Katella’s Mike Cochrane, boys’ athletic director and cross-country coach, doesn’t make a habit of cheering against the Knights. But when Katella visits El Dorado for tonight’s girls’ volleyball match, Cochrane will gladly change team colors.

That’s because Cochrane’s two daughters, Alexis and Meghan Cochrane, play for the Golden Hawks. Alexis, a senior, is the starting setter and Meghan, a sophomore, is her back-up.

“It’s always fun,” El Dorado Coach Craig Tefertiller said. “Mike’s a big supporter of Katella, but not for this one. It’s no contest who he roots for.”

If you have an item or idea for the girls’ volleyball report, you can fax us at (714) 966-5663 or e-mail us at mike.itagaki@latimes.com

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Southern Section Poll

Division I-AA--1. Newport Harbor, 2. Esperanza, 3. Manhattan Beach Mira Costa, 4. Long Beach Wilson, 5. Irvine, 6. Upland, 7. Redlands East Valley, 8. Long Beach Poly, 9. Palos Verdes Peninsula, 10. Chino Hills Ayala.

Division I-A--1. Mater Dei, 2. Huntington Beach, 3. Santa Barbara San Marcos, 4. Santa Barbara, 5. Simi Valley Royal, 6. Ventura Buena, 7. San Clemente, 8. Thousand Oaks, 9. Victorville Silverado, 10. Kennedy.

Division II-AA--1. Santa Margarita, 2. Westlake Village Westlake, 3. South Torrance, 4. Cypress, 5. Redondo Union, 6. Whittier La Serna, 7. Valencia, 8. Foothill, 9. Temecula Chaparral, 10. Hemet West Valley.

Division II-A--1. Covina South Hills, 2. Lakewood St. Joseph, 3. Glendora St. Lucy’s, 4. La Habra, 5. San Luis Obispo, 6. Goleta Dos Pueblos, 7. Atascadero, 8. Lakewood Mayfair, 9. Ocean View, 10. Laguna Hills.

Division III-AA--1. Torrance Bishop Montgomery, 2. North Hollywood Harvard-Westlake, 3. Corona del Mar, 4. La Canada, 5. Riverside Notre Dame, 6. Rosary, 7. Santa Paula, 8. Ojai Nordhoff, 9. Mission Hills Alemany, 10. West Hills Chaminade.

Division IV-AA--1. Laguna Beach, 2. L.A. Notre Dame Academy, 3. Thousand Oaks La Reina, 4. L.A. Marymount, 5. Cerritos Whitney, 6. Flintridge Sacred Heart, 7. Cerritos Valley Christian, 8. Woodland Hills Louisville, 9. El Segundo, 10. Carpinteria.

Division IV-A--1. Los Angeles Brentwood, 2. Calvary Chapel, 3. Whittier Christian, 4. Sun Valley Village Christian, 5. Los Angeles Marlborough, 6. Malibu, 7. Ventura St. Bonaventure, 8. Orange Lutheran, 9. Sierra Madre Alverno, 10. San Pedro Mary Star of the Sea.

Division V-AA--1. St. Margaret’s, 2. Calabasas Viewpoint, 3. Palos Verdes Peninsula Chadwick, 4. North Hollywood Campbell Hall, 5. Covina Western Christian, 6. La Canada Flintridge Prep, 7. Pasadena Poly, 8. Simi Valley Grace Brethren, 9. Lone Pine, 10. Ontario Christian.

Division V-A--1. Hemet Baptist Christian, 2. Thousand Oaks Hillcrest Christian, 3. Liberty Christian, 4. Camarillo Cornerstone Christian, 5. Santa Monica Lighthouse Church, 6. Lake Arrowhead Christian, 7. Baker, 8. Atascadero North County Christian, 9. Arcadia Rio Hondo Prep, 10. La Verne Lutheran.