Surprising Marina Spikes Low Expectations

With a first-year coach and a team in transition, Marina had plenty to prove this season.

After losing three-year starters Jeff Wootton and Rob Kijewski, who are both now playing at Long Beach State, the Viking volleyball team turned to a linebacker and a natural.

Layton Bowles is Marina’s self-made leader, a middle blocker in a football player’s body. Steffin Rangel looks as if he were made for volleyball, possessing springy legs and a wiry 6-foot-7 frame.

Together, they’ve helped Marina win a somewhat unexpected fourth consecutive Sunset League title. The Vikings started the season unranked in the county, finished it with a No. 2 ranking and are third seeded for the Southern Section playoffs in Division II, considered the section’s toughest division.

Tonight, Marina plays Canyon in a second-round playoff match with the winner likely advancing to a Friday meeting with Simi Valley Royal, the top-ranked team in the San Fernando Valley-Ventura County region. Marina defeated Royal three weeks ago at the Santa Barbara Tournament of Champions.

“Considering where we started the season in the rankings, yeah, we’ve come a long way,” said Coach Jeff Caughthran, who replaced Long Beach State assistant Darrick Lucero. “I think we all came in with something to prove.”

Perhaps nobody more than Bowles. At 6-2, he’s not the most physically imposing middle blocker. In fact, volleyball isn’t even his top sport. After three years with Marina’s football team, he’s set to play football next season at Chapman.

But he doesn’t mind being overlooked.

“I just think of it as a challenge,” Bowles said. “Some will look at me and say, ‘Well, he’s not 6-4,’ or they just don’t think much of me. That just drives me.”

And Rangel said Bowles’ drive is probably more important than what he contributes to the team on the stat sheet.

“He brings his spirit, the fire and he’s the spark plug,” Rangel said. “He’s the drill sergeant on our team. He won’t let guys slack in practice.”

Rangel leaves the vocal encouragement to Bowles, who said his co-captain leads more quietly.

“Steffin just expresses himself through his play,” Bowles said. “It seems like in the really big games, he picks up his play.”

That shouldn’t be surprising, considering Rangel has signed to play at Brigham Young next season. The Cougars have won two of the last three NCAA championships.

What has surprised Rangel is how quickly the Vikings came together this season.

“I knew we’d be good, I just didn’t know how good we’d be,” Rangel said. “Last year, Jeff and Rob were the only two consistent guys on the team. We always looked to them. Now, we have five guys like that who can shoulder the load.”

Outside hitter Drew Wilson and setter Beau Peters have also stepped into the spotlight, helping Marina win eight of its last nine matches. Following a loss April 10 to Fountain Valley, the top-seeded team in Division I, the Vikings have won eight of their last nine matches.

Among those victories was one over Fountain Valley May 3, which clinched a share of the Sunset League title for the Vikings, and three wins at the Santa Barbara tournament. The only loss was to Sacramento Bear River, in the final of the Santa Barbara tournament.

That tournament and the victory over Fountain Valley helped legitimize the Vikings’ hopes for a section title run.

“We just need to play our game,” Bowles said. “If we take care of our side of the net, we’ll be all right.”

COMING HOME

In one Division II matchup tonight at 7, Thousand Oaks Coach Tara Kroesch, a Newport Harbor High alum, returns to her old Sea View League stomping grounds when the Lancers play at Irvine.

Kroesch was a Times all-county selection in 1990 and ’91 before she played at Pepperdine.

Her Thousand Oaks team finished second in the Marmonte League this season behind Royal. The Lancers face Sea View champ Irvine, which is led by Kris Kraushaar, a 6-7 opposite who has signed with UCLA.

LOOKING AHEAD

Many of the seeded teams open the playoffs tonight in the second round after receiving first-round byes.

The top county matchup at 7 p.m. is in Division II, where Edison, the No. 3 team from the Sunset League, plays at San Clemente, the South Coast League’s runner-up.

Edison comes out of the same league as Fountain Valley, the top-seeded team in Division I, and Marina, the third-seeded team in Division II. San Clemente, led by Nick Gardner, finished runner-up to Capistrano Valley, the second-seeded team in Division I.

The winner of the Edison-San Clemente match will play either top-seeded Manhattan Beach Mira Costa or Woodbridge in the quarterfinals on Friday.

Also in Division II, Irvine hosts Thousand Oaks, the fourth-ranked team in The Times’ San Fernando Valley Ventura County edition.

There are two all-county matchups in Division III tonight, when Valencia plays at top-seeded Newport Harbor and Tustin plays at fourth-seeded Mater Dei.

Wednesday in the Division V quarterfinals, Orange County has the top two seeded teams: No. 1 St. Margaret’s and No. 2 Brethren Christian.

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