Sage Hill seeking postseason prize

It seems the Sage Hill School boys’ volleyball team is taking its cues from Daft Punk this year.

Just add “taller” and “older” to the chorus from the French duo’s famous song “Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger,” and that about sums up the approach to this year’s season.

“Everyone’s a little stronger and a little more experienced,” said Lightning coach Dan Thomassen, now in his second year at Sage Hill. “It’s a good start for us.”

The Lightning, ranked fourth in the preseason CIF Southern Section Division V coaches’ poll, didn’t lose any starters from last season’s 17-8 team, which advanced to the CIF Division V semifinals before losing in three games to Viewpoint.

Now, sophomore outside hitter Joey Booth is three inches taller at six-foot-four, and Thomassen and the team are eyeing the postseason with anticipation. None of the boys’ sports teams at Sage Hill have won a CIF title. Thomassen’s itching to break the drought.

“We were a pretty young team last year, so we were pretty pleased with what happened, getting all the way to the semis,” said junior outside hitter Bayle Smith. “We didn’t lose any starters from last year, so we’re going to try to pick up from last year and hopefully go all the way and win CIF.”

Because they didn’t have to counter any attrition, the expectations are even higher for the team this season, which is led by senior co-captain Carl Hillgren, a four-year starter. As a sophomore, Smith earned first-team All-Academy-league and first-team All-CIF accolades. Smith, the other co-captain this year, led the team in kills with 290. Booth was second with 174 and also came away with CIF honors.

Sage Hill took second place in the Academy League behind Brethren Christian, the school that dealt the Lightning one of their two league losses. The other loss was to Whitney.

“It’s been going pretty well,” Smith said of the team’s practices. “Our hitting and our serving has gotten a lot better, and our passing is coming along. It looks like, after a few more practices, we’ll be right where we were at the end of last season. I’m definitely optimistic about it.”

Smith, Booth and Hillgren, an opposite hitter, will anchor the team’s offensive efforts. The back court is reinforced by the presence of all-CIF sophomore libero Mattias Russo-Larson.

The team also has a newcomer from the vaunted Corona del Mar program, which won the Division II section title last season. Junior transfer Greg Stone is expected to make contributions at setter along with returning setter Michael Bear.

“The biggest thing for us will be discipline in technique,” Smith said. “We just need to have strong hands and press over the net. Sometimes last year, we would have trouble with our defensive players guessing for a ball or not being in the right position. This year, every guy on the team will go for a ball instead of letting it drop.”

This year’s schedule was designed to be a challenge — the Lightning dive into competition with a season opener against Division I foe Jserra tonight at 5 p.m. Sage lost to the Lions in a three games last season.

“It’ll be a good measuring stick for where we’re at,” Thomassen said. “I think size-and-athletic wise, we’ll be on the same level as them. But we won’t really know until we’re out there.”

SORAYA NADIA McDONALD may be reached at (714) 966-4613 or at [email protected].