Valencia’s Rally Comes Up Short

This time, the deficit was too great for Valencia High.

The Vikings came from behind to win three playoff matches, but Long Beach Jordan made sure it didn’t happen a fourth time with a 15-11, 15-10, 13-15, 16-14 victory in the Southern Section Division I boys’ volleyball championship Saturday at Cypress College.

Jermaine Seiuli had 28 kills and Sam Pech had 17 for Jordan, which won its first volleyball title.

Valencia, which began playing varsity volleyball in 1996, was trying to win its first Southern Section title in any sport in the school’s brief history.

But Jordan (17-1) was too quick and too strong, playing almost flawless back-row defense and attacking on offense with greater efficiency.

Perhaps most important, the Panthers thwarted a comeback attempt by Valencia, which won the third game . . . but not the match.

The Panthers sighed. Then they celebrated.

“I’m more relieved and exhausted than anything,” Coach Jeff Johnson said. “Ultimately it comes down to we may have had one more athlete or made one more big play. It was that close.”

Valencia (30-5) held a 14-13 lead in the fourth game and came close to forcing a fifth, but Seiuli had two kills, and Pech and Larry Taylor combined for a block against Corey Feldt to win the match.

“We had them, but we let them back in it,” Valencia Coach Kevin Kornegay said. “You can’t give these guys anything.”

Chris Haigh had 18 kills and Feldt and Chris Savage each had 17 for Valencia, which came back from 2-1 deficits to defeat Highland, No. 2-seeded Capistrano Valley and No. 3-seeded Santa Monica.

The Vikings shot out to a 5-1 lead in the third game and held on to halve Jordan’s lead in games.

But the Vikings ultimately lost, unable to overcome their slow start.

“We weren’t all in it,” Haigh said. “Some of us were nervous in the beginning. . . . We had guys throwing up before the match.”

Still, it was a season to remember for Valencia, which won its first Foothill League title and advanced further in the playoffs than anybody could have predicted.

“Just getting here pumps me up,” Haigh said. “I’m not disappointed at all.”