CdM boys' volleyball strikes first versus rival Newport Harbor

Corona del Mar celebrates winning a point against Newport Harbor during a Surf League boys' volleyball match on Tuesday.

By Anthony CiardelliSpecial Contributor

April 20, 2021 9:30 PM PT

In athletics contests between Corona del Mar High School and Newport Harbor, known as the Battle of the Bay, the boys’ volleyball matches might be the most heated of that rivalry.

After the COVID-19 pandemic kept the two rivals from facing each other in a league match last season, the Sea Kings and Sailors squared off again Tuesday at Newport Harbor High School.

Corona del Mar was successful Tuesday, defeating Newport Harbor 13-25, 25-19, 25-22, 25-21.

Even with coronavirus restrictions limiting the spectators in attendance, senior Luke Chandler felt the atmosphere maintained its intensity.

Chandler dominated at the net, leading the way with 21 kills, while fellow senior Grant Dvorak contributed a team-high 33 assists. Vanis Buckholz led the Sea Kings (3-1, 2-0 in league) defensively with four blocks and seven block assists.

“All those guys on the other team, we played them in club,” Chandler said. “They were on our team. I just knew we had one chance at this. After the first set, we were fired up. We knew we were coming out hot.”

Corona del Mar's Buddy Cohen, left, and Sterling Foley attempt to block a shot from Newport Harbor's Brendan Read.

Senior Brendan Read led Newport Harbor with 16 kills. Junior Cole McKibbin added 27 assists and senior Kyle McKibbin produced a match-high four aces for the Sailors (5-3, 1-1).

In spite of a dominant first set, Newport Harbor struggled late in sets after keeping things close early.

Sailors head coach Eric Vallely wasn’t happy with his team’s performance against their rival.

“We’ve got a lot of work to do if we are going to beat a team like CdM,” Vallely said. “I got [to] go back and watch the film and pick it apart. There are a lot of things we have to look at.”

Newport Harbor cruised in the first set. Kyle McKibbin churned out all four of his aces to give Newport Harbor an early 7-2 lead, and it never looked back, winning the set 25-13. Corona del Mar struggled early with service errors, but rebounded in the following sets, much to the delight of head coach Steve Conti.

“We certainly didn’t get off to a super good start,” Conti said. “The thing I was most proud about is we kind of showed some grit. It would’ve been easy for us to fold and have the, ‘Woe is me,’ mentally, but we didn’t.”

Corona del Mar's Vanis Buckholz hits against Newport Harbor's James Eadie during a Surf League boys' volleyball match.

Both teams kept the score close through most of the second set when, tied at 18-18, Chandler took over for CdM, converting four kills and a block to help the Sea Kings pull away on the way to a 25-19 second-set victory.

The teams battled in a close third set. Neither team led by more than three points before the Sea Kings won 25-22.

Corona del Mar looked to have the momentum in the fourth set, extending its early set lead to 10-6, aided by kills from Chandler, Dvorak and Buddy Cohen. The Sea Kings extended their fourth-set lead to 24-17 and match point, but Newport Harbor clawed back to make the score 24-21 with a Jake Read ace and multiple net violations.

But Corona del Mar would stave off the late Newport Harbor comeback attempt with a Dvorak kill to end the set and the match.

Dvorak felt the intensity until the match’s final point.

“I’m really glad we pulled out a win, but win or lose, the atmosphere here was so amazing, I’m just glad we got to play.”