CdM reaches fifth straight CIF SoCal Regional boys’ volleyball final with sweep of Palisades

Top-seeded Corona del Mar High went into the semifinals of the CIF Southern California Regional Division I boys’ volleyball playoffs as one of the hottest teams.

A familiar foe awaited the Sea Kings in No. 4 Palisades, which had been riding a significant momentum wave of its own.

CdM handed the Dolphins their most recent loss nearly one month ago to the day. Palisades had not lost since, carrying a 15-match winning streak into Thursday night.

In a clash of champions, host CdM dominated. The Sea Kings swept Palisades 25-10, 25-18, 25-20, securing a fifth consecutive trip to a CIF SoCal Regional final.

The Sea Kings (33-4) are making their third straight appearance in the Division I final, the first two were in Division II, which they both won. They haven’t won the Division I title. They can at home on Saturday at 6 p.m., when they face Back Bay rival Newport Harbor.

The SoCal Regional Division I title match will feature a CIF Southern Section Division 1 championship rematch with the Sailors. Unlike last Saturday’s thrilling final at Cerritos College, where CdM outlasted the Sailors 23-25, 25-15, 25-23, 23-25, 15-13 to win its second straight section crown, the Sea Kings are hosting Newport Harbor.

“I love playing the Battle of the Bay,” CdM senior Tyler Flood said. “Anytime those two teams meet, home court, neutral court, it’s just a special environment. This is what we live for. It’s why we practice. We’re really excited for Saturday’s match.”

No. 2 Newport Harbor (34-1) advanced on Thursday with a 25-16, 25-21, 25-16 sweep of No. 3 Los Angeles Loyola (25-4).

CdM jumped ahead immediately, setting the tone for a lopsided first set. Kevin Kobrine and Flood each delivered kills for the first two points of the night, followed by a mishit from the Dolphins that resulted in another CdM point.

The 3-0 start marked the first of several runs by the Sea Kings in the opening set, stringing together runs of three and five points in addition to three 4-0 runs. Palisades (34-3) displayed its first sign of life trailing 20-6 late in the set, as a kill from Justin Howard sparked a 3-0 run. CdM bounced back with four straight points of its own, however, as a kill from Kobrine, a service ace by Brandon Browning and back-to-back blocks from brothers Adam and Tyler Flood helped put the set away.

“The biggest thing is getting off to a good start,” CdM coach Steve Conti said. “Sometimes we get off to a slow start, sizing the other team up. I just said, ‘Let’s go out and try to make a statement at the beginning of the match.’ I felt we did that, and it set the tone for the match. In the first set we were really efficient. We had less than a handful of unforced errors, and that’s why I think the separation was so big in that first set.”

The second set proved more competitive, with Palisades taking a 3-1 lead after giving away the first point on a serve into the net. Kobrine and Brandon Hicks responded with a pair of kills, however, spurring a 4-0 run that gave the Sea Kings the lead for the remainder of the set.

Although the third set was the closest of the match, CdM never trailed. The Sea Kings rattled off a 4-0 run to begin the final set, which enabled them to withstand a pair of late runs from their opponent.

A trio of seniors led the way for CdM. Kobrine recorded a team-high nine kills, while Tyler Flood and Browning each contributed seven.

“It was a lot of fun,” said Palisades coach Carlos Gray, whose team won the Los Angeles City Section Open Division title. “Our guys know that they are playing against a team that is elite. Between Corona del Mar and Newport Harbor, those are two elite teams, and everyone else is kind [of] fighting to get up to that level. We knew that coming in. They jumped on us early, and that’s what made it really difficult for us. From there, we just never got our footing.”

Saturday’s final will present a unique opportunity for CdM, which has won 17 consecutive matches. In addition to facing the rival Sailors again, the Sea Kings’ seniors will have the chance to close out their high school careers by celebrating a championship on their home court.

“This is what we’ve all been playing for,” Kobrine said. “To win our last high school game.”

JOSH CRISWELL is a contributor to Times Community News. Follow him on Twitter: @joshccriswell