Redondo plays Carlsbad in home regional match Thursday, May 16, at 6 p.m.
by Garth Meyer
RUHS boys volleyball took second place in the CIF Southern Section May 11, with a 3-0 loss to Santa Margarita, 25-21, 26-24, 25-18.
The Division 2 championship went to Santa Margarita for the first time since 2001, the school’s fourth overall in boys volleyball. Ethan Saint hit a match-high 24 kills to lead the Eagles.
In the second set in Norwalk, Redondo had a set point at 24-22, serving to tie the match.
Moments later, Santa Margarita, a Catholic High School in Rancho Santa Margarita, tied the score and freshman Chase Wallin slammed down a block for the lead, 24-25. Then Saint blocked Redondo’s Robert Bennett and it was game over.
RUHS was down 2-0 in the best of five at Cerritos College.
The third set began. Santa Margarita’s Saint slapped a spike down the middle of Redondo’s court for 6-6.
Redondo’s Bennett hit a diagonal kill, 10-9, RUHS trailing. RUHS senior Luke Goldmann then dove to save a rally, before the next ball got pounded off his forearms – he could not have saved it – the ball careening high off the court past the Sea Hawk cheerleaders in the bleachers until it bounced off the gym wall. 13-9 Santa Margarita.
Redondo sophomore Cash Essert then dropped in an emphatic block to cut into the Eagles’ lead.
Santa Margarita’s leaping 6’-3” Saint answered with a spike down the RUHS sideline, in front of the Redondo bench.
Wide?
A short controversy ensued, the call going to Santa Margarita. The ball went off the blocker, the referee said.
“Let’s Go, Let’s Go, L-E-T-S-G-O!” called the RUHS cheerleaders.
Saint, a senior, followed with a block that pinballed between three Redondo players, 14-11. An RUHS Goldmann cross-court slam followed to cut it to 14-12. Then Goldmann hit a ball off of Santa Margarita’s Wallin, 14-13.
Saint leapt, and floated for another slam, 15-13.
The Eagles’ Brooks Ignosci then hit a leaning-back kill, and Redondo’s Essert served into the net, 18-14 for the Catholics.
The set still winnable, CIF still winnable for Redondo, Saint hit a booming serve; long. Wallin threw a slam in for 19-15, and Ignosci followed with another kill to make it 20-16.
Goldmann then saved an RUHS rally to make it 20-17, before the Sea Hawks’ Drew Blair served into the net. Essert got called for a two hands “carry” on a would-be kill, making it 22-17, then issued a pile driver, closing the lead to four.
On the next point, an RUHS crowd converged for a block — got it — but referees ruled one of the red-shirted players touched the net.
At 23-18 Eagles, RUHS senior Tyler Ravenscroft hit a cross-court slam, wide, 24-18.
Time Out RUHS. It was championship point.
Back on the floor, Santa Margarita’s Blake Herman served; an ace.
CIF officials presented the winners the CIF-SS plaque while RUHS cheerleaders took down red and white painted signs. Both teams advanced to the state’s regional playoffs.
To reach the Division 2 Southern Section final, Redondo Union beat Pacifica Christian/OC, Dos Pueblos and Beckman.
In volleyball, games are referred to as sets.
“I think if we win that second set, I think it’s a different story,” RUHS Coach Kevin Norman said of the Santa Margarita loss, noting the emotional turn of the second set result. “We played pretty well that game and lost.”
Norman was best friends with Ethan Saint’s father in middle school in Calabasas. Saint has committed to play volleyball at UC Santa Barbara next year.
“We’ve struggled this season when there’s a guy on the other team that we can’t stop,” Norman said.
“Every team we play from here on out will have somebody big.”
Redondo Union opened regionals Tuesday with a first round win over Chatsworth. advancing to the semifinal Thursday night at home at 6 p.m. vs. Carlsbad.
“I’m proud of our team, getting to this point,” Norman said. “Our mantra is that we have to serve and pass better than anyone. Defensive intensity – nothing can hit the ground without the maximum effort. Offensive intelligence, we’re not the biggest team.”
If RUHS wins Thursday, they move on to the regional final, which would also be at home. ER
