Edison’s Henry Owens is enjoying a good ride

Surfer dude. That’s what sophomore left-hander Henry Owens of Huntington Beach Edison resembles on the mound with his long hair sticking out from the back of his cap.

During the off-season, Owens goes surfing, adding to the intrigue of how someone who’s 6 feet 5 and wears size 17 shoes can successfully stand on a fiberglass board and conquer the waves of the Pacific Ocean.

What’s clear is that he’s the heir apparent to Tyler Matzek and Matt Hobgood as one of the premier pitchers in Southern California.

That’s going to happen next season, but Edison needs Owens to perhaps move up the timetable because the Chargers are giving him the ball Tuesday night and sending him into the jungle of sorts. Lurking in the darkness is danger in the form of a battle-hardened Santa Ana Mater Dei lineup that has already sent Norco’s Hobgood packing.

Now it will be Owens’ turn to face the Monarchs in a Southern Section Division I semifinal playoff game at 7 p.m. at Blair Field in Long Beach. The first half of the doubleheader matches Mission Viejo Capistrano Valley and Matzek against Riverside Poly at 4 p.m.

Owens has a 9-1 record and 1.08 earned-run average. But his youth was on display last week against Valencia West Ranch. He was in total control, leading, 7-0, in the fourth inning when he struck out a batter and directed a big smirk toward the West Ranch bench after hearing something he didn’t like, sending the unspoken message, “Scoreboard.”

That was a loss of focus, and in the next inning, he gave up a home run to the leadoff batter, threw five consecutive balls and found himself in a bases-loaded jam.

“I lost command of my fastball and had to find it,” he said.

He also lost his edge, if ever so briefly, bringing Coach Steve Lambright to the mound.

“He wanted the shutout,” Lambright said. “That’s his competitiveness.”

Settled down by his coach, Owens proceeded to strike out the next batter with an overpowering fastball and then got a double play. It was a glimpse of a young pitcher learning how to handle pressure. He ended up throwing a five-hitter in a 13-1 playoff victory.

Lambright has so much confidence in Owens that he let him start as a freshman.

“Last year was more pressure,” Owens said. “This year, I know I can get the job done.”

Lambright has no hesitation in calling upon Owens in the biggest game of the season for the Chargers.

“The biggest thing is throwing strikes,” Lambright said. “If he throws strikes, he’s tough.”

Regardless of what happens Tuesday, those who have seen Owens pitch know the future is in his hands.

“You’re looking at a kid who could be something special,” Lambright said.

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Dugan’s odyssey

Kelly Dugan, a Sherman Oaks Notre Dame switch-hitting first baseman, has a scholarship to Pepperdine, but he’s keeping his options open.

That explains why in the next week he will have traveled to ballparks in St. Louis, New York, Cincinnati, Florida, Houston and Philadephia before arriving at Dodger Stadium next Monday for a final workout on the eve of the baseball draft.

He’s paying for the trips to have professional scouts see him hit with a wood bat. What he has going for him is that Notre Dame has a strong track record of producing top prospects. Three ex-Notre Dame players from this decade have already reached the major leagues, and Mike Stanton, a 2007 grad, is one of the top prospects in the Florida Marlins organization.

Dugan batted .379 with eight home runs this season. His dream is to play in the major leagues.

“He really wants to explore every option to get to the major leagues,” his father, Dennis, said.

At a minimum, he can write a travel story on what it’s like visiting seven major league ballparks in 10 days.

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Kings of volleyball

Los Angeles Loyola won its 10th Southern Section championship in volleyball Saturday night with a three-game victory over Mater Dei in the Division I final. Steven Irvin had 13 kills for the Cubs, who are ranked No. 1 in the nation by ESPN RISE. They host matches Tuesday and Thursday in the Southern California Regional championships, with the finals set for Saturday at Capistrano Valley.

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eric.sondheimer@latimes.com