Sage Hill storms past Fullerton behind Jackson Cryst’s 40 kills

FULLERTON â€”  Sage Hill’s playoff history is not extensive, but the Lightning are looking to put that past behind them as they embark on their first playoff run in five years.

It began with an up-and-down performance in a 25-17, 25-21, 23-25, 25-22 win at Fullerton on Thursday in the first round of the CIF Southern Section Division 5 boys’ volleyball playoffs.

The result gave the program its first postseason victory since a wildcard round win over Pacifica Christian in 2018.

Sage Hill’s Connor Gapp (1) and Tre Cradle (13) block Fullerton’s Hyunmin Kim (11) on Thursday.

(James Carbone)

After the regular season finale against the Tritons, Sage Hill coach Shelby Young indicated the team was looking forward to playing the role of the dark horse. Sage Hill (18-8) took out the 10th-ranked team in the division in Fullerton (20-10), and the next challenge will be a trip to No. 7 Camarillo (16-11) on Saturday.

The puncher’s chance lies with 6-foot-10 Jackson Cryst, a junior outside hitter who willed his team across the finish line with a 40-kill effort in the playoff opener. The Long Beach Millikan transfer added 16 digs, four service aces and contributed to eight blocks.

“I think with tonight, the way we battled, even through us making a ton of errors that we don’t usually make, playing down to the other team’s level, I think that we have the potential to win the whole thing and not lose a set for the rest of CIF,” Cryst said. “I’m not saying that’s what we’re going to do, but I think we have the potential to.”

Sage Hill’s Jackson Cryst (12) spikes the ball past Fullerton’s Christian Zimmerman (13) on Thursday.

(James Carbone)

Cryst’s contributions were enough to overcome the absence of three middle blockers from the Lightning lineup, though freshman middle blocker Tre Cradle received high marks for filling the void.

“It’s a heck of a time to be that person and have that next-man-up mentality, but mentality-wise, I think he stuck with it, and he really pushed through,” Young said of Cradle. “He was able to be supported by his cast and characters, and I think it was the love of the rest of the teammates, of like, ‘Hey, he’s getting his chance. Let’s support him through this chance.’”

To refer to the group as “characters” might just be an apt description for the Lightning. Expressive and loud on the court, several of the players left the gym in a rainbow-colored onesie after the match.

The Sage Hill boys’ volleyball team celebrates a point against Fullerton in a CIF Southern Section Division 5 playoff match.

(James Carbone)

“It’s just a team culture thing,” Cryst said. “Everybody gets the onesie. Everybody kind of humbles himself a little bit, pulls up in a rainbow onesie, just to kind of be a part of the team. Everybody’s ordering them, so by next CIF match, we’ll all have the same onesie.”

Sophomore outside hitter Connor Gapp had nine kills, 13 digs and two block assists for Sage Hill. Sophomore opposite Ryan Manesh had eight kills and 10 digs. Senior setter Brayden Brien handed out 48 assists.

Manesh, who provided the decisive kill in the second set, discussed the way in which his team moves on from moments of adversity. Sage Hill faced one when it rallied from a 19-13 deficit in the third set to trim a Fullerton lead to 24-23.

Sage Hill’s Ryan Manesh (5) taps the ball over the net against Fullerton in a CIF Southern Section Division 5 boys’ volleyball playoff match on Thursday.

(James Carbone)

On the next point, Fullerton outside hitter Johnny Leonardo was forced to send a free ball over with the ball falling below the height of the net. The ball hit the floor on the Lightning’s side of the court, sending the match to a fourth set.

“Whenever somebody might do something wrong, the whole team takes the blame,” Manesh said. “It’s a team sport. We all have to fight through adversity together. If we don’t have one another to support each other, we wouldn’t be able to pull through sets like that.

“Obviously, the ball dropped. It was a miscommunication, but being able to get back from that, which is what we did, I think that’s way more important.”

Also in the CIF Southern Section boys’ volleyball playoffs:

Redondo Union 3, Pacifica Christian Orange County 0: The visiting Tritons lost to the top-seeded Sea Hawks 25-15, 25-8, 25-15 on Thursday in a Division 2 opener.

Pacifica Christian closes its season at 11-12 overall. The Tritons tied with San Gabriel Academy for second place in the San Joaquin League.

Fountain Valley 3, Crescenta Valley 0: Senior outside hitter Thomas Ho had 18 kills without committing an error, as the second-seeded Barons advanced via a 26-24, 25-13, 25-12 win in the first round of the Division 3 playoffs on Thursday at home.

Fountain Valley (23-5), which shared the Wave League title with Los Alamitos, will play host to San Joaquin League champion Capistrano Valley Christian (15-9) on Monday at 6 p.m.

Costa Mesa 3, Montclair 0: Junior Dimitri Downs paced the visiting Mustangs with 20 kills in a 25-22, 25-21, 25-23 wildcard-round win in the Division 6 playoffs at Chino High.

Junior Kurt Mateo added 14 kills and two aces for Costa Mesa (13-9), which travels to take on Camino Real League champion La Puente Bishop Amat (13-8) on Saturday.

Senior Justin Foreman had 10 kills, junior John Luong provided eight kills and two aces, and senior Chris Rivera had a team-leading eight digs.

Los Angeles Shalhevet 3, Liberty Christian 0: The Minutemen finished the season with a record of 8-9 after falling to the Mulholland League champion in straight sets on the road Thursday in the first round of the Division 7 playoffs.