Orange Coast remains class of the poll but Long Beach makes a move up

Previous Rankings

IRVINE - Orange Coast remained the favorite in the California Community College Men’s Volleyball Coaches Association State Poll.

But Long Beach City continued to be the big mover in the rankings. The Vikings, who were ranked No. 10 in the first poll of the season on Feb. 21, are now up to No. 5 after winning five straight matches and leading the Western State Conference with a record of 4-0.

More on Long Beach City in a second.

Let’s talk about the roll Orange Coast is on to start the 2024 season. The two-time defending state champion is a perfect 9-0 as Orange Empire Conference play starts on Wednesday. OCC plays host to Fullerton at 6 p.m.

The Pirates have dropped just three sets all year with their toughest match being against LBCC in a five-set win (15-10 in the fifth) on Feb. 14.

Orange Coast took care of No. 8 Grossmont, 25-10, 25-15, 25-20, last Wednesday night behind Cole Hauser, who had 10 kills and six digs, four blocks and hit .529. Andrew Robbins added eight kills and hit .778 and setter Landon Seymour finished with 26 assists and eight digs. Hauser leads the state in kills (3.71 per set) and hitting percentage (.459). Peter Kelso and Kam Vakilian are also among the leaders in blocks at 1.10 and 1.08 per set, respectively.

Golden West is ranked No. 2 with Jaden Kodongan leading the state in digs per set at 3.36. The Rustlers, who are 10-1, defeated Miramar in their last match in four sets on Mar. 1. Golden West opens OEC play on Wednesday in a big match against No. 4 Irvine Valley at home at 6 p.m.

San Diego Mesa is at No. 3 in the poll. The Olympians went on the road last week and swept Irvine Valley, 25-19, 25-22, 25-22, on Wednesday, and then Palomar, 25-15, 25-18, 25-19, on Friday. In the win over Palomar, 11 different Mesa players had at least one kill with Brandon Underwood and Lucas Shepard pacing the squad with eight each. Colton Pillsbury and Logan Shepard ran the offense, which hit .364, with a combined 37 assists. San Diego Mesa has important PCAC matches with Grossmont and Miramar this week.

Irvine Valley had a busy week last week with three home matches. The Lasers out-lasted Miramar in five sets in a make-up match on Monday, fell to Mesa in three sets on Wednesday and then played four-year NAIA Saint Xavier University on Friday and lost in four sets. The Lasers are paced by Grant Dvorak, who is averaging 2.12 kills and 5.47 assists per set.

Long Beach City has gone from 0-5 to start the year to 5-5 and is fifth in the latest rankings. The Vikings defeated Santa Monica in five sets on the road and then swept Antelope Valley, 25-16, 25-10, 25-18, last week. LBCC plays host to El Camino on Wednesday night.

No. 6 Moorpark defeated El Camino, 25-7, 25-18, 25-18 at home last Wednesday. The Raiders got a big night from Kaipono Benson, who had 11 kills, five digs, three aces and hit .647. He scored 15.0 points in the match. Moorpark takes on LA Pierce and Santa Barbara City this coming week.

The rest of the top 10 includes Santa Monica at seven, Grossmont at No. 8, Santa Barbara City at No. 9 and San Diego Miramar at 10^th.

Key matches this week include No. 9 Grossmont at No. 3 San Diego Mesa and No. 4 Irvine Valley at No. 2 Golden West on Wednesday and No. 10 Miramar at No. 3 San Diego Mesa and No. 9 Santa Barbara City at No. 6 Moorpark on Friday.

Highlighted student-athlete of the week: Trevor Clark (Opposite, Fr., San Diego Mesa)

Trevor Clark, a 6-9 freshman opposite from Temescal Canyon High in Lake Elsinore, has helped No. 3 in the state San Diego Mesa to a 12-3 record overall. Clark finished with 12 kills on 27 attempts with one error and had four digs and two aces in wins against Irvine Valley and Palomar last week. He did that in four sets played. Clark is also Mesa’s team leader in kills with 93, which ranked No. 7 in the state heading into this week.

(Brent Shaver, CCCMVCA)