A Point From Losing, Newport Harbor Rallies to Win in 5

Unseeded Newport Harbor rallied to knock off top-seeded Marina, 7-15, 13-15, 17-15, 15-12, 15-9, in a Division I Southern Section boys’ volleyball match Friday at Newport Harbor.

It was the third time this spring Newport Harbor has upset the Southern Section’s No. 1 team, previously defeating Mira Costa and Sea View League rival Irvine.

“I thought we could pull this off, coming in,” Newport Harbor Coach Dan Glenn said. “But then we kind of gave away those first two games.”

The Sailors, who survived three match points in Game 3 to eliminate the Vikings (17-2) for the third straight postseason, will take another shot at Mira Costa in Wednesday’s semifinal at a site to be determined.

Stanford-bound Billy Clayton, a 6-foot-5 outside hitter, had a team-high 43 kills to key the comeback. Jeff Wooton had 44 kills for Marina (17-2).

The Sailors are 7-0 against the Sunset League power the last three seasons.

Newport Harbor swept the Vikings in last year’s quarterfinals at Marina. But it didn’t appear the Sailors would see the semifinals again this year, when Marina turned a 14-11 third-game deficit into a 15-14 lead.

Marina served for the match three times, but Newport Harbor kills by Clayton, Blake Tippett and Clayton again, staved off what seemed inevitable.

After a Viking net violation tied the game, a Marina hitting error set up senior setter Kent Turner, who ripped a jump serve ace on the back line to trigger a wild celebration that was later rendered mild by the home crowd.

In another Division I match:

Corona del Mar 3, El Toro 0--Greg Stampley led the Sea Kings with 34 kills in the 15-8, 15-4, 15-12 victory.

Alec Hanson, Charlie Alshuler and Forrest Mack contributed 16 kills each. Brian Gallagher and Kevin Hansen had nine each. Kevin Hansen had 39 assists for Corona del Mar (20-1).

“El Toro’s losses this year came when either [Jim Pelzel] or [Kyle Martin] didn’t play,” Corona del Mar Coach Steve Conti said. “They haven’t really lost with their best six players on the floor, so to come in and sweep them is huge.”

The win gives the Sea Kings (20-1) a rematch in the semifinals with the only team that beat them this year, second-seeded Irvine.

“Everybody’s healthy, and we’re heading the right way,” Conti said. “We’re happy with where we are right now, and we’re fired up to be able to play for the finals. Right now, it doesn’t matter who we play. We’re just going to play our game.”

Corona del Mar hosts Santa Margarita, an upset winner over No. 2 seeded Irvine. The Sea Kings, the only seeded team left in the Division I playoffs, defeated the Eagles twice this year.