Prior to Tuesday’s showdown with rival Mira Costa when playoff seedings will be on the line, Redondo’s girls volleyball team will host the 32-team Redondo Power Classic Friday and Saturday.
With matches being held in gyms at El Segundo, Redondo, South Torrance and West Torrance, the tournament includes CIF Southern Section ranked teams Redondo (No. 8, Div. 1-AA), Orange Lutheran (No. 9, Div. 1-AA), Saugus (No. 5, Div. 1-A), Valencia (No. 6, Div. 1-A), El Dorado (No. 7, Div. 1-A), Notre Dame Academy (No. 10, Div. 1-A), South Torrance (No. 1, Div. 2-AA), La Canada (No. 3, Div. 2-AA), St. Lucy’s (No. 4, Div. 2-AA), Santa Monica (No. 3, Div. 3-AA) along with Centennial/Bakersfield (No. 2, CIF Central Section) and Granada Hills (No. 1, LA City) and Palisades (No. 3, LA City).
Although Redondo lost to Mira Costa for the second time in three days at the California Challenge in Torrey Pines, dropping a 22-25, 25-11, 15-9 match for the Silver Division championship, its performance moved the team up two spots to No. 8 in the CIF Southern Section-Ford Division 1-AA rankings. Mira Costa dropped one spot to the No. 6 position.
However, visiting Palos Verdes (10-13, 4-3) stunned Redondo (14-12, 4-2) Tuesday with a 27-25, 21-25, 25-13, 27-25 victory which, barring an upset win by Peninsula when the team visits Mira Costa (15-9, 6-0) for a 5:15 p.m. match Thursday, assures the Mustangs of winning the Bay League title outright.
Redondo will use a 6 p.m. home game against West on Thursday, its tournament Friday and Saturday and the final regular season match against Mira Costa on Tuesday to find the consistency the team has sought for most of the season.
“We have a strong field of competitors in the tournament, which will help up prepare for the playoffs,” Redondo head coach Tommy Chaffins said. “We continue to work, work, work, which is our goal at both practices and games.”
Local teams joining Redondo in the tournament are Bay League adversaries Palos Verdes, Peninsula and West, along with Pioneer League foes El Segundo, North Torrance and South Torrance.
Pool play begins at 3:30 p.m. Friday at the four locations. Divisional play (Gold, Silver and Bronze) begins Saturday at 8:30 a.m. with Redondo and South hosting Gold Division playoffs, West hosting Silver Division competition and El Segundo holding matches in the Bronze Division.
Semifinals and finals in the Gold Division will be held Saturday at Redondo with the championship match is slated for 3 p.m.
While Redondo will be hosting its own tournament, Mira Costa will be competing in the 16-team Santa Barbara Tournament of Champions on Friday and Saturday. The Mustangs remained undefeated in league play by sweeping West on Tuesday.
Redondo will be looking to avenge it first league loss when it hosts Mira Costa Tuesday at 7 p.m. The match will serve as a fundraiser for Redondo Beach resident Karen Beebe, who is battling a recurrence of breast cancer first diagnosed in 2005.
Beebe has been supported by her children Brett and Krista who continue to raise money for the National Breast Cancer Foundation while attending college.
Brett designed a T-shirt that states “Long Hair Don’t Care” and, along with his childhood friend Gudger Gentzler, has grown his hair to donate to the charity “Wigs For Kids,” which provides human-hair wigs for children with cancer who are bald due to chemotherapy.
