Possible CdM and Loyola CIF boys’ volleyball final rematch

There is a good chance Corona del Mar High and Los Angeles Loyola will see each other in the CIF Southern Section Division 1 boys’ volleyball final for the second straight year.

If the current rankings stay the same, Loyola at No. 1 and CdM at No. 3, the Cubs and Sea Kings could only meet in the section championship.

The section will release the section playoff pairings on Friday at 2 p.m.

Loyola (24-1) leapfrogged Oak Park (33-3) in the poll this week, even though the Cubs lost to Oak Park in the semifinals of the Best of the West Invitational in San Diego in March. Coach Steve Conti predicted this could happen last week, when his No. 3 Sea Kings (26-3) lost in five sets at then-No. 2 Loyola.

Not being on the same side of the bracket is a good thing for the Cubs and Sea Kings. Many consider those two programs the best in the section.

As for Oak Park, ranked No. 2 now, it could face CdM in the semifinals. Loyola’s semifinal opponent could be No. 4 Newport Harbor (25-3).

Those four schools — Loyola, Oak Park, CdM and Newport Harbor — are expected to earn the top four seeds. The wild-card round, if necessary, begins on Saturday, followed by the first round on Tuesday.

A year ago, Loyola, as the No. 2 seed, defeated CdM in five sets in the section championship. The runner-up finish marked the Sea Kings’ second in as many years.

Tight PCL baseball race

With three baseball games left in the Pacific Coast League, CdM is in position to finish on top for the first time in 11 years.

The Sea Kings are 10-2, a game ahead of Beckman and two ahead of defending league champion Woodbridge. The Sea Kings, ranked No. 9 in the CIF Southern Section Division 2 poll, have the easier path to winning the title. They play host to fifth-place University on Friday, before closing out league play with two games with fourth-place Northwood next week, at home on Tuesday and on the road on Thursday.

Beckman and Woodbridge play twice next week.

Rodriguez ties Estancia single-season hit record

Brian Rodriguez has 42 hits on the season for Estancia. Only one other player in the baseball program’s history had reached that number, and that player went on to play in the big leagues.

Rodriguez tied Jeff Gardner’s single-season hit record on Wednesday. The junior can break the mark on Friday, when Estancia plays a key Orange Coast League game against Calvary Chapel at TeWinkle Park at 7 p.m.

Estancia, in second place in league at 9-3, holds a two-game lead on Calvary Chapel. Estancia trails first-place Laguna Beach by three games with three to go.

Oilers in Boras Classic state final

Huntington Beach plays San Jose Bellarmine Prep in the Boras Classic state baseball championship at UCLA’s Jackie Robinson Stadium on Saturday at noon.

The Oilers advanced by beating Manhattan Beach Mira Costa, 9-4, in the South tournament final at JSerra on April 21. In the North tournament final, the Bells knocked off Davis, 6-2, at McAuliffe Field in Sacramento on April 13.

Huntington Beach Coach Benji Medure said Hagen Danner would get the start on the mound.

HB duo among top prospects

Baseball America ranked Huntington Beach seniors Nick Pratto and Danner as the No. 17 and No. 45 prospects in next month’s Major League Baseball Draft.

Pratto is a left-handed first baseman and pitcher, and Danner is a right-handed pitcher and catcher.

Oilers, Breakers clinch league baseball crowns

Huntington Beach won its third Sunset League baseball title in four years on Wednesday, the same day Laguna Beach claimed the Orange Coast League for the 11^th consecutive year.

CdM’s Le receives two more offers

UNLV, Army and UC Davis are the latest football programs to offer CdM junior TaeVeon Le.

Le, a wide receiver with the Sea Kings, also has offers from Iowa State, Colorado State, Air Force, Columbia, Princeton and Yale. Colleges project the 6-foot-4, 225-pound Le as a tight end in college.

[email protected]

Twitter: @ByDCP