Top-Seeded Newport Harbor Meets Serra League Roadblock

Newport Harbor’s road to a Southern Section boys’ volleyball championship goes through the Serra League, and that begins Wednesday when the Sailors play Mater Dei in the Division III semifinals at Costa Mesa High.

With realignment of teams into enrollment-based divisions and an increase from three divisions to five, Newport Harbor, which won the Division I title in 1999 and was runner-up last season, was bumped down to Division III this season.

Serra League champion and second-seeded Santa Margarita, which won the 1998 Division I title, meets Moorpark in the other Division III semifinal.

Mater Dei, which reached the Division II final last season, finished second to Santa Margarita in league and is fourth-seeded.

Top-seeded Newport Harbor (13-7) and Mater Dei (11-4) split two best-of-three matches in two different tournaments earlier this season.

Mater Dei defeated Newport Harbor on March 10 at the San Diego Tournament of Champions, 15-11, 15-17, 15-8. Newport Harbor defeated Mater Dei on March 17 at the Orange County Championships, 15-8, 10-15, 15-12.

In Division II, top-seeded Manhattan Beach Mira Costa plays fourth-seeded Foothill Wednesday at Villa Park High. Foothill finished the season as the top-ranked team in Orange County.

Mira Costa has won three top-division section titles and is led by Pat Nihipali, who transferred from Esperanza High. Nihipali is the younger brother of former UCLA All-American Paul Nihipali.

Division I

Second-seeded Capistrano Valley lost a five-game heartbreaker to host Santa Clarita Valencia in the Division I quarterfinals Friday, 15-13, 12-15, 4-15, 15-9, 15-10.

But top-seeded Fountain Valley advanced to the semifinals to play the Dana Hills-Long Beach Jordan winner at a site to be determined.

Division IV

Corona del Mar and Northwood face the favorites in this division.

Corona del Mar, which won the Division I title last season, plays top-seeded Sun Valley Village Christian at Glendale Community College. The Sea Kings, who shared the Pacific Coast League title with Northwood, haven’t lost a game in their two playoff matches.

In its first season, Northwood has won a four- and five-game match to advance to the semifinals, where it will host Santa Ynez, which has won five section titles in the past six seasons.

Division V

St. Margaret’s girls’ teams have won consecutive section titles under Coach Susie Maga. Now she will try to help the boys reach their first section-title match. The top-seeded Tartans meet Santa Barbara Bishop Diego in the Division V semifinals at Laguna Beach High.

In the other semifinal, second-seeded Brethren Christian hosts Montebello Cantwell Sacred Heart at Calvary Chapel. Both matches begin at 7 p.m.

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