by Garth Meyer
RUHS boys volleyball won its first CIF Southern California regional (Division 2) championship in school history May 18 with a five-set win over St. Margaret’s Episcopal; 25-19, 17-25, 22-25, 25-21, 15-12.
St. Margaret’s senior outside hitter Reed Wainright led all players with 30 kills in the match.
Early in the fifth set, RUHS led 10-3, then 13-7 before St. Margaret’s mounted a comeback, starting with two RUHS serves into the net. The lead closed to 13-12 while Redondo coach Kevin Norman used both of his time outs trying to stem the flood.
Throughout the match, Redondo worked to counter Wainright.
“He was unstoppable,” Norman said.
In each of the first three sets, Sea Hawks coaches changed the matchups against him, to minimal effect. In the fourth, “instead of spreading out our biggest guys, we put them next to each other,” Norman said.
Redondo had scouted St. Margaret’s (San Juan Capistrano), and banked that they would stay with the same rotation they used through the season. They did.
In the fifth set, with RUHS out to their early lead, senior Tyler Ravenscroft got a solo block on Wainright, making it 10-3, and St. Margaret’s called time out.
The Tartans then roared back before Redondo managed to hold on, taking the championship on a St. Margaret’s block into the net.
Bobby Bennett and Cash Essert each had 18 kills in the match to lead RUHS. Luke Goldmann got 16 kills and 12 digs, and sophomore Cash Essert also had 16 kills. Junior setter Shane Friedman recorded 58 assists and 15 digs. Drew Blair added 19 digs and Carter Mirabal nine kills and 11 digs.
“We had a lot of production out of different guys,” Norman said. “We played good defense.”
Goldmann, a senior outside hitter, was hampered by two knee issues and did not practice Friday before the final.
RUHS played in Division Two, based on CIF power rankings during the season. The top eight ranked teams in Southern California play in Division One. The rankings do not consider school size.
The young Redondo Beach team featured two sophomore starters, three juniors and two seniors.
It was their first CIF regional volleyball championship of any division.
RUHS (32-8) lost May 11 in the CIF-SS Division Two final in straight sets (games) to Santa Margarita Catholic. They nonetheless qualified for the regional playoffs, beating Chatsworth at home last Tuesday and Carlsbad Thursday. ER
