Loyola Prevails Over Mira Costa

Volleyball is a game of momentum and in Friday night’s pivotal fourth game nobody wanted to grab it.

Not Los Angeles Loyola. After taking the first two games, the Cubs swallowed their kneepads and played not to lose.

And certainly not Manhattan Beach Mira Costa, which had a superb sideout game but little ability to score.

Loyola, The Times’ No. 1 boys’ volleyball team, eventually prevailed to take a 15-6, 15-8, 5-15, 15-13 nonleague victory in front of a standing-room-only crowd at Mira Costa.

The Cubs’ victory snapped a six-game losing streak to the Mustangs that dated to 1999.

Opposite hitter Jake Schkud led Loyola with 23 kills, including the game-winner off the block attempt by Jordan Morris. Mira Costa, ranked No. 2, was led by Josh Schwarzapel’s 21 kills.

The Cubs raced to a 10-1 lead in the first game and were never threatened.

Mira Costa played better in the second game, but Loyola was still the better team. The Mustangs finally turned the tables in the third game, scoring 11 points off Loyola errors.

“We went into our comfort zone,” Schkud said, “and we let them back in.”

With Mira Costa leading, 5-3, in the fourth game, the teams traded 19 consecutive sideouts before Loyola ran off four consecutive points to take the lead. With the score tied, 13-13, a kill by C.J. Schellenberg gave the Cubs the lead for good. Two sideouts later, Schkud put the match away.

“I thought Loyola played extremely well and we didn’t play that well,” Mira Costa Coach Mike Cook said. “That’s not a good combination. Volleyball is a game of momentum and we didn’t take it.”

The Orange County boys’ volleyball tournament continues today, beginning at 8 a.m., with play in Division I at two Huntington Beach high schools, Marina and Edison, and in Division II at Newport Harbor.

Among the teams participating are Anaheim Esperanza, No. 3 in The Times’ rankings, and fourth-ranked San Clemente, which defeated Esperanza to win the Tournament of Champions last weekend in San Diego.

The division championship games will be held Monday at Edison, beginning with Division II at 5 p.m., followed by Division I at 7 p.m.

-- Paul McLeod

DeAnthony Langston, a former player at Long Beach State, has been hired to coach boys’ basketball at Los Angeles Verbum Dei High, traditionally one of the top programs in the Southland.

Langston, who graduated from Verbum Dei in 1984, was an assistant coach at Carson last season and coached the California Team Select club team the last three years.

Langston, 36, played professional basketball overseas for 12 seasons after his final year at Long Beach State in 1988.

Langston replaces Ronnie Gipson, who coached Verbum Dei to Southern Section championships the last two seasons but clashed with school officials over the time players devoted to an intensive work-study program to help pay for school tuition.

“The fact the kids have to work is probably better for them,” Langston said.

-- Mike Bresnahan

Stephanie Duda, the all-time leading scorer and rebounder for Los Alamitos, has committed to UC Irvine.

Duda, a forward who averaged 23.5 points and 14.8 rebounds this season, finished her high school career with 2,231 points and 1,258 rebounds.

The Southern California Scholastic Fencing League’s final tournament of the season will be held at 10 a.m. today, at North Hills Monroe High.

Men’s and women’s varsity team epee competitions will start at 10 a.m., and the awards ceremony is expected to begin at 3 p.m.

The 2002-03 Interscholastic Equestrian League season continues Sunday at The Oaks/Blenheim Exhibitions in San Juan Capistrano.

Student riders from Orange County elementary and high schools will compete at the novice, freshman, junior varsity and varsity levels in English or Western style.

For information: (949) 481-7444 or (949) 459-7584, or www.ociel.org.