Three locals ranked

Corona del Mar, Newport Harbor, and Sage Hill are three local high school girls’ volleyball programs ranked in the CIF Southern Section preseason coaches’ polls.

The Sea Kings are No. 2 in Division I-A, the Sailors are No. 6 in Division I-AA, and the Lightning are No. 6 in Division IV-AA.

While CdM stayed in town this month, Newport Harbor and Sage Hill each traveled to Hawaii to compete at separate tournaments. The Sailors placed fourth at the Ann Kang Invitational in Honolulu, while the Lightning finished fourth at the Maui Invitational.

The Sailors, led by USC-bound senior Cinnamon Sary, went 6-2 during tournament play.

Senior Alayna Lewis helped the Lightning to a 6-3 record.

In a third-place match at the Ann Kang Invitational, Mater Dei, ranked fifth in the section, defeated Newport Harbor, 25-23, 20-25, 15-4.

Sage Hill got to the semifinals of the Maui Invitational before meeting eventual champion Kamehameha of Maui, which beat the Lightning, 25-22, 26-27, 26-24. Junior Maggie Danner led the Lightning with 10 kills and two service aces, while senior Zoe Kreitenberg added seven kills and Lewis finished with 22 assists and two kills.

The Lightning open the season on the road, visiting JSerra on Sept. 7. Sage Hill advanced to the second round of the CIF Southern Section Division IV-AA playoffs last year.

Newport Harbor is at No. 7 Long Beach Poly on Sept. 9. The Sailors will be Sunset League title contenders again.

Middle blocker Alex Holbrook returns for her senior year after she suffered a season-ending knee injury early last year in league play. Newport Harbor went on to reach the Division I-AA quarterfinals.

The Sea Kings host Palos Verdes in their opener on Sept. 6. First-year coach Marissa Booker expects contributions this season from senior middle blocker Britton Taylor, junior outside hitter Grace Kennedy and freshman outside hitter Hayley Hodson.

CdM reached the semifinals of the Division I-A playoffs last season.

— From staff reports