Going into its CIF-SS Division 5 championship game matchup versus top-seeded Damien, the Laguna Blanca boys volleyball team will be looking to make history.
With a sweep over El Rancho during the semifinals, the Owls (28-4 overall) clinched their first-ever title game berth. Saturday at 11:30 a.m., at Cerritos College, they’ll look for the perfect end to a fantastic season.
They’ll face stiff competition in the defending champion Spartans (31-7 overall), who come into this matchup full of momentum following a dominant display of power hitting during their first four matches of the tournament.
With the most wins in Division 5 during the regular season, Damien claimed the No. 1 ranking heading into the CIF Playoffs. They have lived up to the hype, conceding just two sets in four games.
The Owls are led by four-year starter Pierce O’Donnell, who has carried his team with senior leadership and effective setting. Also making a notable impact throughout his squad’s run to the title game has been senior outside hitter Chris Costantino.
However, no one figures to play a more important role for Laguna Blanca on Saturday than Philip Fauntleroy. In four playoff games, the senior outside hitter has averaged nearly 18 kills and 3 blocks per contest.
With a victory over the top-seeded Spartans, Fauntleroy would surpass his older brothers Tristan and Taylor, who both experienced great individual success while playing volleyball at Santa Barbara High but never won a CIF championship.
On Wednesday evening, the Owls swept past El Rancho 25-20, 27-25, 25-18, behind 19 kills and 3 blocks from their star outside hitter. O’Donnell also stepped up big, dishing out 39 assists to go along with two aces.
During the quarterfinals, Laguna Blanca marched back from a 0-2 deficit to pull out a thrilling five-set victory over Santa Monica’s Pacifica Christian. Fauntleroy blasted 24 kills, including four in the dramatic third set to keep the Owls alive alive.
In their second round match, Laguna Blanca rolled past Le Lycee by a score of 25-11, 25-5, 25-13. Once again, O’Donnell did a good job distributing the ball.
Prior to this, the Owls swept past Pius X-St. Matthias in straights sets during their first-round matchup.
In this recent stretch of games, Miles Mcgovern and Sam Stegall have show notable improvement in the middle while Henry Farrell has continued to be a solid presence. Charly MacNeil has also been steady at libero for Laguna Blanca.
Saturday’s CIF-SS Division 5 boys volleyball championship game will be aired live at 11:30 a.m. on the High School Sports Network for a fee of $10.