Huntington Beach boys’ volleyball retooling lineup, sweeps Fountain Valley
It is an hour of opportunity in the Huntington Beach boys’ volleyball program, which remains on solid footing despite being thin on senior leadership.
The Oilers have just three seniors on the roster this year, and only two of them are active, as the team marches toward a CIF Southern Section Division 1 playoff berth.
Long Beach State-bound setter Jake Pazanti displayed more of his all-around game on Monday, as Huntington Beach handled Fountain Valley 25-20, 25-14, 25-17 in a Sunset Conference crossover match at home.
Pazanti had 14 kills, 16 assists, four block assists and two service aces for Huntington Beach (20-2), which is ranked fourth in the CIF Division 1 and 2 combined poll. The senior is taking more swings with senior outside hitter Bennet Tchaikovsky on the mend from a meniscus injury.
“We had to change the lineup a little bit,” Pazanti said. “Our other setter’s really good. … It’s just better for the team to have three hitters on at all times, especially with Bennet gone, to hit high balls because our passing isn’t as good without him. We all have to do a little more to [fill] his role.”
Tchaikovsky has already had surgery, and the Oilers hope he can return for the postseason, Huntington Beach coach Craig Pazanti said.
Opposite Aidan Dubno, the other senior currently in the lineup, supplied six kills, 2½ blocks and two aces.
Huntington Beach received widespread production elsewhere. Junior setter Kai Gan shared the distributing duties in a modified 6-2 offense.
“We do some funky stuff, but it’s working,” Dubno said of the Oilers’ adjustments.
Freshman middle blocker Logan Hutnick, whose right-hand hammer polished off an extended rally on match point, and sophomore outside hitter Colin Choi each had eight kills. Junior middle blocker Nick Ganier added five kills and 1½ blocks.
The Sunset Conference is up to its old habits, its representatives making it clear that they will be in the hunt in the spring playoffs. There are five teams ranked in the Division 1 and 2 combined poll: No. 2 Newport Harbor (17-3), No. 4 Huntington Beach, No. 5T Corona del Mar (12-3), No. 7 Edison (12-8), No. 16 Los Alamitos (9-12).
Fountain Valley (17-3) is second in Division 3, where Marina (8-10) is also knocking on the door as a team receiving consideration for the top 10.
After a run to the section quarterfinals in the same division last season, the Barons are looking to build off their past success and take aim at a Wave League championship. Outside hitter Thomas Ho (10 kills, 1½ blocks) and opposite Bennett Heydorn (10 kills, two blocks) are back on the pins.
Setter Bryant Johnson had 24 assists, and middle blocker Billy Watkins contributed seven kills.
Fountain Valley has won the two tournaments it has participated in at Tustin and Pacifica.
“It’s been a good run, a good start for us,” Fountain Valley coach Rebecca Cheltenham said. “We’re just working on their confidence and their aggression and their consistency. That’s kind of been our main focus point and not really caring about who’s on the other side this year.”
Rocky Ciarelli Invitational
Huntington Beach and Newport Harbor are partnering to put on the inaugural Rocky Ciarelli Invitational on Saturday at Huntington Beach High.
Ciarelli, a celebrated coach who spent stints heading the programs of Edison (1982-84), Huntington Beach (1985-2008) and Newport Harbor (2015-19), died last year.
“As soon as the news about Rocky [happened] last year, we wanted to try to do something,” Huntington Beach coach Craig Pazanti said. “We thought it was going to be a little bit difficult to pull something off in the first year, so we kind of waited. We didn’t want to go full tournament the first year. …
“The cool part about it is ... Edison, Newport and Huntington ... are the three schools that he coached at, so that was kind of the thought process in year one.”
The action begins with Edison against No. 5T Tesoro (11-4) at 2:30 p.m., followed by Newport Harbor versus No. 9 Redondo Union (13-3) at 4:15 p.m. Huntington Beach will play host to Corona del Mar in a Surf League match to close out the event at 6 p.m.
“I’m really excited to be a part of the inaugural Rocky Ciarelli Invitational,” Newport Harbor coach Andrew Mabry said. “He was a legend in the volleyball community and his contributions are so significant and still felt today. We are honored to partner with Huntington Beach and these other fantastic programs to showcase high school volleyball and honor the legend of Rocky.”
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