Salesian High School's Bernard Luna spikes the ball during the CIF Southern Section Division V championship game against St. Margaret's. Salesian won, 3-1. (Photo by Gary McCarthy)
Story Created:
Jun 1, 2009 at 2:15 PM PST
Story Updated:
Jun 1, 2009 at 2:15 PM PST
Elliott Walker’s reaction to Salesian High School winning the first CIF Southern Section volleyball championship was understandable.
“Wow, wow and wow,” is the way Walker, the first-year co-coach (with Wayne Teng), put it afterwards.
After consecutive runner-up finishes to Viewpoint in the title game, the second-seeded Mustangs got over the hump Saturday at Cypress College with a 25-22, 22-25, 25-22, 25-17 victory over No. 1 St. Margaret’s in the Division V championship match.
Salesian takes a 32-6 record into the Southern California Regional Division III playoffs that open Tuesday. The Mustangs, seeded third, host Elizabeth Learning Center (10-3) of Cudahy in the first round.
The semifinals are Thursday and the finals Saturday at Capistrano Valley High.
Saturday’s match ended when senior outside hitter Bernard Luna smashed his eighth kill of game four, giving the all-boys school from East L.A. its first-ever section title in the sport.
Luna finished with 22 kills, two blocks and a service ace in an overall spectacular performance.
“He had a fantastic game,” Walker said. “He demonstrated his excellent leadership skills from the team breakfast in the morning until now. He averages about 18 kills per game and Cameron Walker (junior setter) averages about 15.”
This was not a one-man effort.
Walker, Jacob Porter, Aaron Turcios, Steven and Ivan Godinez and Erwin Ramirez were the other starters who contributed. Anthony San Jose and John Mora had their moments off the bench.
San Jose had two kills in the fourth game, including the one that gave the Mustangs a 20-14 lead. He also secured the game three win with a block at the next for the 25th point.
“We got a lot from our middles and from the bench,” Walker said. “We’re about eight deep. The best thing you can say about them is they are unselfish players.”
After finishing second the previous two years, a theme this season was about getting over the hump.
“They were really focused on having the heart of a champion and not settling for second,” said Walker, who coaches the seven starters and three reserves on a club team.
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NOTES: Three members of the Salesian volleyball team will continue their careers at the college level next year.
Luna is headed to Hope International University, Turcios to UC San Diego and San Jose to Cal State Northridge.
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St. Margaret’s, which takes a 17-4 record into the regionals, has volleyball legend Karch Kiraly as one of its coaches and two of his sons, Kory and Kristian, among its top players. Harley Frost, who had nine kills, is another standout for the school from San Juan Capistrano.
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