Breakers’ outside threat

Mike Sciacca

By his own admission, Matt Anderson said that nothing was going to

stop him from playing last Wednesday night.

No, not even a sore shoulder could sideline Laguna Beach High’s

6-foot-5 outside hitter from the Breakers’ Pacific Coast League

opener. What made the opener even more special, Anderson said, was

that it came against arch-rival Corona del Mar, on the Breakers’ home

floor, no less.

“No way,” was the 18-year-old’s response to the question asking

him if he would miss the game.

“It’s too big of a game for us. I would not let my teammates

down.”

Anderson practiced for the first time this week on Tuesday. He had

been held out of action following a March 26 game against top-ranked

San Clemente, nursing a sore right shoulder.

“We played a few games in consecutive days and I just think I

over-used it,” Anderson said of his shoulder. “It was just swollen

and tough to use.”

An MRI was performed on that shoulder earlier this week, he said,

but he had not got results from that test back as of Tuesday.

“It feels better, though, and I’m ready to play,” he said.

Anderson is key figure on the court for Laguna.

Heading into the Corona del Mar game, Anderson, a team captain

along with Trey Chapel, led Laguna in kills with 129. He also tops

all Pacific Coast League players in aces and carries a strong solo

blocking percentage.

“Matt’s a solid, good player,” Laguna coach Curt Hanson said. “His

shoulder has been bothering him but when he heals, he could step it

up another notch and really have a great season.”

Anderson has been with the Laguna boys’ volleyball program for

four years, the past 2 1/2 spent at the varsity level.

He said he first got serious about volleyball during his freshman

year: two years later, his play on the court earned him not only

All-Pacific Coast League First-Team honors but First-Team All-CIF

Southern Section laurels, as well.

“That was a really big honor,” he said. “I think I was the only

junior from our league to make all-league and all-CIF. It got me

pumped up for my senior year.”

Anderson’s game has not gone unnoticed, either, as he has been

recruited by several Division I schools including UC Santa Barbara,

UC San Diego, the University of San Diego, New York University and

most recently, USC.

“The whole decision-making process with recruiting can be

stressful,” he said. “It’s really great and an honor to have schools

pursue you, though, but I want to stay and play in California.”

Anderson’s goals for the season include helping lead Laguna to a

league championship and a berth in the CIF playoffs.

He also wants to beat arch-rival Corona del Mar again. He knows

the feeling well, too, as the Breakers swept the Sea Kings last

season.

Following Tuesday’s final preparation for the Corona del Mar

match, Anderson spent the night working with a friend, preparing a

music CD that “hopefully will pump us up” during pregame warm-ups.

“This is the start of league play for us and it couldn’t come

against a bigger opponent,” he said. “I know a lot of the CdM players

from club volleyball, so there’s this friendly rivalry going on. I

wasn’t going to miss that.”