One of the top rivalry games featuring boys volleyball teams in Southern California is the annual meeting between Mira Costa and Loyola.
Bragging rights for the game run much deeper than a victory between two perennial powers in the sport. The contest also features friends, neighbors and teammates from club teams.
Loyola’s roster includes Manhattan Beach residents John Byrne, Luke Hardesty, Matt Johnson, Ian Knox, Sammy Mansfield, JP Reilly, Brady Wedbush and Hermosa Beach native Luke Grafton.
The Cubs are ranked No. 2 in CIF-Southern Section Division 1 while the Mustangs hold the No. 7 spot.
This year’s match will be played Friday, March 24 at 7 p.m. at the UCLA Wooden Center and also broadcast live on the NFHS Network.
Mira Costa won two of three meetings between the teams in 2016, sweeping Loyola in its annual showdown held at Loyola Marymount University, losing a match in the Santa Barbara Tournament of Champions before pulling out a thrilling 3-2 win in the Southern California Regional semifinals.
“I expect another typical Loyola – Costa match, which means it will be highly competitive with a lot of good emotions involved on both sides,” Mira Costa coach Sean Shoptaw said. “Loyola has another very good and experienced team this year, so we’ll need to be at our best and I expect we will be.”
Both teams competed in the 32-team Best of the West tournament held March 10-11 in Poway. Loyola tied for 3rd place with Mater Dei (No. 8, Div. 1) and Mira Costa tied for 9th place.
Mira Costa won its pool defeating Westview, losing to Clovis and beating Oak Park (No. 1, Div,. 1).
Advancing to the Gold Division, Mira Costa lost to eventual champion Punahou 25-20, 25-17, then defeated Servite 25-20, 25-20 and Bay League rival Palos Verdes 25-17, 22-25, 15-12.
“We’re a young team replacing seven starters from last year’s state title team, but I really like the talent we have and I think our ceiling is very high,” Shoptaw said. “Overall, Best of the West was good for us. We beat a very good Oak Park team, lost a tough match to Punahou, but we got some very good experience and grew a good amount over those two days.”
Mira Costa returns seniors Ethan Morgan, Kevin Pinkerton, Will Taylor and juniors Bobby Barkley, Max Cajuste and Dane Johnson.
Palos Verdes finished second in its pool defeating La Jolla 25-18, 25-20 and Santa Barbara 25-22, 25-19 before losing to Westlake (No. 5, Div. 1) 25-22, 23-25, 21-19
In the Gold Division, The Sea Kings lost to top-seeded Mater Dei (No. 3, Div. 1) 25-12, 25-23 the beat Iolani 25-17, 25-15 before losing to Mira Costa.
In a non-league match on Tuesday, Mira Costa lost to visiting Newport Harbor (No. 4, Div, 1) 25-18. 25-22. 26-24.
The Mustangs travel to Peninsula for its Bay League opener Thursday, March 23 at 4:30 p.m. and resume league action Tuesday, March 28 with a 3:15 p.m. home match against Palos Verdes.
Redondo opened its season with a 3-1 loss to South Torrance (No. 3, Div. 2) before hosting the Redondo Preseason Invitational tournament, at which they defeated Orange Lutheran (No. 5, Div. 2), Burbank and Granada Hills Charter before losing to Calabasas (No. 1, Div. 2). The Sea Hawks finished with a win against Dana Hills.
First-year coach Chris Austin hopes his Redondo squad will benefit from a tough non-league schedule that included three Division 1 powers.
The Sea Hawks were swept by Mater Dei, fell to Loyola 3-1 then a dropped a close 3-2 match at Servite last Friday.
Redondo opened Bay League action Tuesday at Morningside.and will host Inglewood Tuesday, March 28 at 3:15 p.m. The Sea Hawks host Mira Costa in the first of two rivalry matches Thursday, April 6 at 7 p.m.
