SOUTHERN SECTION VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS : Luck of the Draw Is Not With Marina in 4-A Playoff Picture

Few observers figured Marina High School’s basketball team would reach the Southern Section 5-A final last March, even with All-American center Cherokee Parks.

But the Vikings proved to be a major surprise, upsetting Capistrano Valley, San Bernardino and Mater Dei before losing in the final to Santa Barbara.

The Viking volleyball team faces a similar situation in the Southern Section 4-A playoffs.

Marina (11-5) has one of the toughest draws in the division, playing at Laguna Beach (14-4) at 7:30 tonight.

The winner will play either Dana Hills (10-4) or University (8-6) in the second round, and could play top-seeded San Marcos (13-1) as early as the quarterfinals.

“For being a third-place team, we couldn’t help but expect a tough draw,� Marina Coach John Burns said. “But I was a little surprised by our first-round game.�

Marina, ranked No. 1 in the preseason in Orange County, won the Dos Pueblos tournament in March and the 55-team UCLA Tournament of Champions in April.

But the Vikings struggled in the Sunset League, finishing third after dropping two five-game matches to Huntington Beach and four- and five-game matches to Edison. The Vikings were ranked sixth in the county’s final regular-season poll.

“It has come down to a matter of us getting on our game,� Burns said. “We played well in the last loss to Huntington Beach, but we didn’t play well against Edison.�

Marina has one of the most balanced lineups in the tournament, led by middle blocker Brant Shelor and outside hitter Dennis Winners, who both played on the Vikings’ basketball team.

Completing the lineup is setter Greg Gratteau, middle blocker John Mull and outside hitters Phoung Vu and Scott Anderson.

Marina and Laguna Beach are no strangers. The Vikings edged the Artists in a five-game match in April.

“That was a weird match,� Burns said. “Neither of us played well.

“But Laguna is very scrappy, and they play good defense and have good ball control. They put up a good block and they move well at the net.�

Laguna Beach, the Pacific Coast League champion, is led by outside hitters Paul Buss and Chris Seale.

Tradition also is on Laguna Beach’s side. The Artists have won five Southern Section volleyball titles--more than any other county school--with the last coming in 1983. Marina has yet to win a section volleyball title.

The Marina-Laguna Beach match is one of eight 4-A matches involving Orange County teams tonight. Fourteen of the 31 teams in the 4-A division are county teams.

Second-seeded Huntington Beach (16-1) will play host to Mater Dei (8-6). The Oilers, the Sunset League champions, have failed to advance past the first round the past three seasons.

The only blemish on the Oilers’ record this season is a four-game loss to San Marcos in March. Outside hitter Matt Taylor and middle blocker Andy Kijewski are the Oilers’ top players.

An administrative error cost Woodbridge (12-4) the No. 3 seeding. The Warriors tied with Newport Harbor for the Sea View League title, but they forfeited their final two games against Tustin and Saddleback because of an academically ineligible player.

Dave Cowen, Woodbridge athletic director, said the Warriors alerted the Southern Section office after discovering the ineligible player, a varsity reserve, during a routine grade-check.

“The Southern Section leaves it up to the schools to police themselves,� he said. “We are just trying to be honest. I’m glad we discovered it when we did, before the tournament began.�

Because of the forfeits, Newport Harbor becomes the third-seeded team and will play host to Glendale Hoover (8-6). Woodbridge, now unseeded, will play host to Santa Margarita.

Fourth-seeded Edison (12-3), runner-up to Huntington Beach in the Sunset League, is led by juniors Joe McCarthy and Josh Snyder. The Chargers will play host to Redondo Union (9-7). Edison finished second to Mira Costa in last year’s 4-A tournament.

Other matchups include Laguna Hills (10-4) at Capistrano Valley (13-1), Irvine (11-5) at Trabuco Hills (8-6), Santa Margarita (8-6) at Newport Harbor (12-3) and University (8-6) at Dana Hills (10-4).

Esperanza (16-0) and Valencia (16-0) are the two undefeated county teams competing in the 3-A division.

Esperanza, the Empire League champion, will play host to Downey. Valencia, the Orange League champion, will play host to Foothill (9-4).

Santa Ana Calvary Chapel (14-2) and Whittier Christian (14-2) are the top-seeded teams in the 2-A division.

Calvary Chapel, the Olympic League champion, is the top-seeded team and plays host to Chadwick. Second-seeded Whittier Christian (14-2), runner-up in the Olympic League, plays host to Salesian.