CIF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
Division I
Mira Costa of Manhattan Beach (27-6) vs. Corona del Mar (30-6)
Where/when: Edison High, Saturday, 5:30 p.m.
Outlook: This will be the third match this season between the two teams. Mira Costa won the first meeting in five sets in a tournament in Hawaii in April. CdM avenged that loss with a sweep of the Mustangs in the CIF-SS Division 1 semifinals. CdM had great balance in that games. Sam Kobrine led the way with 11 kills. Will Hunter (10 kills), Mitch Haly (nine) and Brandon Browning (five) were also key contributors. Mira Costa defeated top-seeded Loyola of Los Angeles, the CIF-SS Division 1 champion, in five sets in the regional semifinals. Corona del Mar won a four-set victory over Pacific Coast League rival Beckman to advance to the final. CdM will be looking to win its third consecutive regional title, having defeated Oak Park (2015) and Esperanza (2014). CdM is 4-0 in the regional finals.
Division III
Saddleback Valley Christian (37-3) vs. Jordan of Los Angeles (35-3)
Where/when: Edison High, Saturday, 1 p.m.
Outlook: SVC will try to add an exclamation point to the special run the program has been on the past four years. While they have four consecutive CIF-SS titles, they have yet to win a regional title. The Warriors lost in the semifinals in 2013 and in the finals the past two years. The losses in the finals were to Laguna Beach. SVC swept its way through the CIF-SS Division 4 playoffs and have won the first two matches in the regional playoffs in three sets. The Bulldogs won the L.A. City Section Division III championship. Their last loss came in a one-set match in a tournament in April. They’ve only lost one best-of-five match this season.
DAMIAN CALHOUN
Contact the writer: dcalhoun@ocregister.com
