CdM cruises in CIF opener

CORONA DEL MAR — Before the pre-match introductions, the public address announcer at Corona del Mar High apologized.

Not wanting to butcher the names of Santa Ana High’s volleyball players, mostly all Latino, he said the pronunciations most likely wouldn’t be “muy perfecto.”

Everyone laughed.

But the announcer didn’t have to be perfect, because outside hitter Blaine Nielsen took care of that early on for the Sea Kings Friday night.

Nielsen served it up 11 straight times in the first game, two going for aces as top-seeded CdM cruised to a 25-6, 25-17, 25-11 sweep in the opening round of the CIF Southern Section Division II playoffs.

The Sea Kings (29-2) dominated the match against the Saints (14-8) from start to end, and they picked a good time, with Coach Steve Conti’s status.

Conti, sporting his regular jeans and short-sleeved shirt for a match, wore a brace on his right foot. He gingerly walked around before the match, so not having to rise from his seat much during the match helped alleviate some of the pain.

“It still throbs,” said Conti, smiling.

The day before CdM’s run at a third straight section championship appearance began, Conti said he had emergency surgery on his foot. The foot, which he said he injured during a summer trip in Fiji, was infected.

“I got dragged across the reef and I had a piece of coral break off of my foot. I had it taken out six weeks ago, but I got a secondary infection from the surgery,” Conti said. “I had like a golf ball on my foot from the infection from the surgery. The doctor felt it was a good thing it was a slow moving infection like that, or if not, those types of infections can be lethal.”

Conti wasn’t fazed with the ramifications.

He wasn’t going to miss the playoff opener. Heck, after having surgery at 9 a.m. Thursday, he said he arrived at CdM to coach a 2:30 p.m. practice.

“I’ve missed one practice in 12 years here, and that was the day my daughter was born. That wasn’t an option missing the birth of my only daughter,” said Conti, whose 4-year-old daughter, Alexa, was born on St. Patrick’s Day. “I kind of talked to our guys about it. I have high expectations for them. Part of my job is to lead by example, and I take a lot of pride in being a committed person in the things I love to do, and this is definitely a passion of mine.”

CdM showcased the kind of effort that Conti said can result in winning the coach his fourth section championship at CdM, and the school’s sixth in school history.

Next for the Sea Kings is a second round match against Hemet (18-2), which defeated visiting Villa Park, 22-25, 25-22, 25-18, 25-22, to advance. There will be a coin-flip today at the section office to determine who will play host to the Tuesday match.

Conti said he knows little about the Sunbelt League champ.

“I couldn’t find anyone to go out to Hemet on a Friday night to go videotape,” said Conti of the school 82 miles away from Corona del Mar. “The bottom line is it’s going to be how we play.”

The way Nielsen is competing, along with Jeff Carlson, two players making their second consecutive appearances after being out with injuries, CdM should be fine.

Nielsen’s right foot looked good. The UC Santa Barbara-bound senior finished with three aces and five kills, playing the first two games before Conti went to the bench.

All but one of 16 players received playing time. Conti said Dillon Flinn, the first outside hitter off the bench, was out with the fever.

The Sea Kings were OK without Flinn, as Carlson, who has been bothered by his right shoulder, played most of the match at outside hitter.

He recorded 10 kills, tying him for the game-high with middle blocker Gus Ellis. Carlson added three aces, and each time he served he knocked the Saints back.

“It was good,” said Carlson of his serve. “I was just on tonight.”

The same can’t be said for the announcer during introductions.

DAVID CARRILLO PENALOZA may be reached at (714) 966-4612 or at [email protected].