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Oilers keep it going

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There was an unveiling Monday night at Elmer Combs Gymnasium at Huntington Beach High that paid tribute to the Oilers’ boys’ volleyball program, and for good reason.

Three championship banners, one for CIF Southern Section Division 1 title, another for a State Regional Championships title, and the third, for a national championship title, each symbolic of the many accomplishments achieved by the 2013 team, went up on permanent display, prior to the start of Huntington’s nonleague match against Hawaii Kamehameha.

The Oilers then went out and swept Kamehameha, winning, 25-16, 25-22, 25-20, to run their record to 10-0.

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Huntington still occupies the top spot in the CIF Southern Section Division 1 rankings this year. Monday’s sweep only further solidified the top ranking for the Oilers, who last Saturday won the Best of the West Tournament championship.

“It was a great weekend, and tonight’s win [against Kamehameha], on a night that the banners went up, was nice,” said Huntington Coach Craig Pazanti who pointed to one wall of the gymnasium where the new banners were displayed. “Those banners sure look nice hanging up there.”

Senior middle blocker Drake Evans had 14 kills and junior outside hitter TJ DeFalco had 12 kills and three aces to pace the Oilers.

“The biggest thing we talked about before this game was that we wanted to have no letdown after playing at the Best of the West,” Pazanti said. “We wanted to come out and play strong from the start and set the tone, and I think we did that.”

The Oilers picked up an impressive win against one of Hawaii’s top prep teams two days after grinding their way through the grueling Best of the West Tournament hosted by Poway High. Considered one of the most prestigious boys’ volleyball tournaments nationally, the event drew teams from Orange County, San Diego, Los Angeles, Fresno, San Francisco, Hawaii, Arizona and New York.

Huntington capped a standout tournament run with a 25-23, 25-22 victory Saturday over Fresno Buchanan.

DeFalco was named tournament MVP, and senior outside hitter Brendan Sander was named all-tournament.

The Oilers went 7-0 and didn’t drop a set during the tournaments. They defeated Carlsbad (2-0), San Francisco Whitney (2-0), Santa Barbara (2-0), Thousand Oaks (2-0), Oak Park (2-0), Corona del Mar (2-0) and Buchanan (2-0) en route to the title.

Huntington previously swept Servite, 25-15, 25-19, 25-17, in a nonleague match March 11. DeFalco and Sander had 13 and 12 kills, respectively.

Huntington, Edison, Marina and Fountain Valley will compete at the Orange County Championships tournament which opens Friday.

In Division 1 pool play, Huntington hosts San Juan Hills and Edison hosts Orange Lutheran. In Division 2 pool play, Marina hosts El Dorado and Fountain Valley takes on San Marcos at Estancia High. All opening games start at 3:30 p.m.

All teams play twice Friday and the tournament resumes with pool play at 8 a.m. Saturday. The tournament final is Monday at Edison.

Swimming

Edison won boys’ and girls’ team titles Saturday at the Mt. SAC Winterfest Invitational.

“Our swimmers came into this meet with a mindset of swimming fast, and it they did,” Edison Coach Diggy Riley said. “I am ecstatic with some of our times, especially so early in the season.

“We have a long way to go and we will continue to train hard and smart.”

Top performances by the Chargers included:

Girls: 200 medley relay: Devin Newton, Nora Deleske, Gabby Limon, Taylor Newton, 1:49.86, second-place); 200 individual medley: Devin Newton (2:05.29, first), Deleske (2:05.52, second); 50 free: Taylor Newton (24.71, fourth); 100 butterfly: Limon (1:00.66, ninth); 100 free: Delaney Cleveland (54.75, sixth); 200 free relay (1:44.16) Natalie May, Limon, Julie Harrison, Cleveland (1:44.16, fifth); 500 free: Limon (5:14.81, fifth); 100 backstroke: Riley Crow (1:00.15, fourth); 100 breaststroke: Deleske (1:05.10, second), Devin Newton (1:05.69, fourth); 400 free relay: Taylor Newton, Deleske, Cleveland, Devin Newton (3:36, second).

Boys: 200 medley relay: Thomas Smith, Wade Nelson, Nate Torres, Troy Oates (1:36.39, second); 200 free: Smith (1:42.41, second), Dylan Nelson (1:48.33, sixth); 200 IM: Calvin Rogers (1:57.27, fourth), Zach Nelson (1:59.74, eighth); 50 free: Torres (22.01, second), Oates (22.07, third); 100 butterfly: Wade Nelson (49.46, first), Torres (52.84, sixth); 100 free: Dylan Nelson (50.49, sixth), Trent Cozza (50.82, eighth); 500 free: Rogers (4:37.44, first), Johnathan Bramm (4:47.68, third), Trey Crooks (4:58.29, seventh); 200 free relay: Oates, Dylan Nelson, Rogers, Thomas Gillespie (1:29.52, third); 100 backstroke: Smith (50.66, second), Gillespie (54.51, seventh); 100 breaststroke: Wade Nelson (59.59, seventh); 400 free relay: Torres, Gillespie, Wade Nelson, Smith (3:190.19, second).

Football

Marina has named Jeff Turley as its new head football coach, the school recently announced. A 25-year coaching veteran, Turley served as defensive coordinator at Long Beach Poly. The Jackrabbits defense last year shut out five of six Moore League opponents to set a league record for shutout victories in a single season.

Poly went 11-2 in 2013 and reached the semifinal round of the CIF Southern Section Pac-5 Division playoffs.

Turley joined the Poly football program in 2001 and previously coached at St. Anthony. While at Poly, he was part of a program that won 12 Moore League titles, five CIF-SS Pac-5 Division championships, and a CIF Southern California Division 1 Regional championship.

CIF Weekly Rankings

Boys’ volleyball: Huntington Beach (No. 1, Division 1).

Boys’ tennis: Fountain Valley (tie-No. 10, Division 1).

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