A preview of the CIF Southern Section Division 1 boys volleyball championship game might be taking place Friday night at Newport Harbor High School.
Huntington Beach will play Newport Harbor in a Surf League match at 5:45 p.m.
It’s not a stretch to say it’s a possible Division 1 final preview. Seven of the past nine Division 1 champions have been from the current four-team Surf League.
Newport Harbor won the Division 1 title last year and in 2019. Corona del Mar won it in 2017 and ‘18. Huntington Beach was the champion in 2013, ‘14 and ‘15.
And of the past nine years, the two years in which a current Surf League team did not win the Division 1 title, one of those teams lost in the final — Newport Harbor (to Mira Costa) in 2021 and Corona del Mar (to Loyola) in 2016.
Boys volleyball might be the sport in which Orange County shines best, and not just in CIF but nationally.
“This is a hot bed for boys volleyball,” said Huntington Beach coach Craig Pazanti. “Look at all of the Olympians in beach volleyball and indoor, all the gold medalists. Baseball obviously is a strong sport, too, but I would put our sport up against any other sport.”
Newport Harbor is 20-1 overall and 2-0 in the Surf League with league sweeps of Corona del Mar and Los Alamitos.
The Sailors are No. 1 in the CIF-SS Divisions 1 and 2 combined rankings. Their loss was to Beckman, the No. 3 team in the Divisions 1/2 poll that has Loyola at No. 2.
Their top players include senior outside hitters Luca Curci and Jake Read, who were All-CIF Division 1 selections last year. Read will play for Loyola of Chicago next year and Curci signed with UCLA. Junior opposite hitter Riggs Guy committed to UC Santa Barbara.
“We’re a very balanced team that can attack in a lot of ways,” said Newport Harbor coach Andrew Mabry.
Huntington Beach is 18-3 and has league wins over Los Alamitos and Corona del Mar. Huntington Beach is No. 6 in the Division 1/2 poll. Corona del Mar is No. 4.
Oilers…
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