CIF DIVISION V SEMIFINAL:
GLENDALE — Bring on the top seed.
That’s what the members of the Flintridge Prep boys’ volleyball team want and will get with plenty at stake.
Fourth-seeded Flintridge Prep will battle top-seeded St. Margaret’s in a CIF Southern Section Division V semifinal road match at 7 p.m. today in San Juan Capistrano.
It will mark the first time this season that Flintridge Prep (20-5) will face St. Margaret’s (16-3). The other semifinal match will pit second-seeded Salesian against Sage Hill. The championship contest will be held Saturday at Cypress College at a time to be determined.
For the Rebels to get to the title match for the first time in the program’s history, Flintridge Prep 12th-year Coach Sean Beattie said mistakes will need to be minimized against a squad that’s won 16 matches in a row.
“There are four teams left and they are all good,” said Beattie, who led the Rebels to a second-place finish in the Prep League before guiding his team to playoff wins against California Academy of Math and Science, Thousand Oaks Hillcrest Christian and Arrowhead Christian Academy. “We hope that we have people who can step it up for us because we are going in thinking like we have a chance if we play as well as we can.
“St. Margaret’s will be like we saw against Arrowhead Christian, but I assume they will be more consistent.”
Flintridge Prep picked up a 25-23, 25-21, 21-25, 25-19 quarterfinal home win against Arrowhead Christian on Friday to reach the semifinals for the second time in three seasons.
St. Margaret’s has toppled San Gabriel Academy, Marshall Fundamental and Cantwell Sacred Heart in the postseason. The Tartans recorded a 25-13, 25-21, 29-27 win against Cantwell Sacred Heart in their quarterfinal match Friday to stretch their winning streak to 16. St. Margaret’s, which captured the Academy League championship, hasn’t lost a game in the postseason.
Flintridge Prep senior opposite hitter JT Treadwell said the Rebels, who have won four consecutive matches, must be smart with their hitting against the tall Tartans.
“That’s where we are going to have to capitalize,” said Treadwell, a three-year varsity athlete who had a pair of aces in the fourth game against Arrowhead Christian. “We have to be able to move the blocks and cover up on anything.
“We want to be able to keep our momentum going from the Arrowhead match. We have the tools. It’s just a matter of making as few errors as possible.”
Flintridge Prep will feature senior outside hitter Gavin Thomson, sophomore middle blocker Kenyatta Smith and senior setter Steve Morse.
St. Margaret’s, which fell to eventual-champion Viewpoint in the quarterfinals last season, will enter tonight’s contest brimming with confidence.
“We are confident with what we do on our side of the court,” said St. Margaret’s co-Coach Jeremy Dailey, who shares the coaching responsibilities with men’s volleyball Olympic gold medalist Karch Kiraly. “I know that Flintridge Prep has some good players and they’ve done things well to get to this point.”
St. Margaret’s will be led by 6-foot-6 senior outside hitter Harley Frost, junior opposite hitter Woody Quinn and junior setter Kory Kiraly.
