Huntington Beach girls’ volleyball beats Marina, clinches playoff spot

The Oilers, who missed out last year — the first time, boys or girls, since Craig Pazanti took charge of the programs in 2008 — snagged the powerhouse league’s last guaranteed postseason berth with a 25-22, 27-25, 25-21 sweep that left the home side hoping for an at-large stake.

Veteran opposite Charlie Lucky-Mitchell put away two set winners in a 10-kill, one-block effort, outside hitters Silver Eatherton and Adrianna McGrath combined for 18 kills and middle blocker Amaya Lesley closed the clash with two kills and a block, as Huntington Beach (21-11, 6-5 in the Sunset League) posted its league-best fifth sweep of the campaign.

Huntington Beach’s Charlie Lucky-Mitchell (15) puts a kill down the line past Marina’s Selai Taumoefolau (8) on Thursday. (Don Leach / Staff Photographer) It all came down to preparation.

“We had it dialed in [practice] yesterday,” said Pazanti, who has guided the Oilers to three Southern Section, four Southern California Regional, 16 league and three mythical national championships in a combined 35 seasons. “We had eight days between matches, so we had time to go back and watch film on them from [the first meeting, another 3-0 win] and against Los Alamitos and Corona del Mar. We were prepared for what we were going to see, and I think it was good. …

“So we’ve been really working on trying to finish games when we have the opportunity. We didn’t do that great in the first set, but then the comeback in set two, it was important. We didn’t want to be tied 1-1. They play well at home, and they’re a good team. They’re scrappy. They’re not the most physical team, but they’re scrappy, and they make plays, and they’re super unorthodox with the left-handed middle. They run the 6-2 [offense], and they do some things different defensively, but luckily we had a little bit of time to prep for it this week.”

Huntington Beach’s Silver Eatherton (1) puts a kill deep into the back court against Marina on Thursday. (Don Leach / Staff Photographer) Huntington Beach darted to 6-1, 12-4 and 14-5 leads in the first set, then held on as Marina (18-16, 3-8), behind opposite Jayda Jones and outside hitter Rylee Hartwell, pulled within 24-22 before Lucky-Mitchell ended it. It scored the final three points, the last from Lucky-Mitchell, of a second set that was even 21 times: every point from 1 to 11, 14 to 16, 18-21 and 23-25. The Oilers used 5-0 and 10-6 runs, the latter augmented by a phantom point awarded to Marina, to take control of the last set.

Many contributed. Eatherton had 11 kills, Lesley eight with two blocks, McGrath seven kills, middle blocker Camilla Florgan four timely kills, a block and three service aces (the first two to start the match), libero Zoe Znider two aces, from an attack ably run by freshman Kalea Gan, working solo with Luna Eatherton in her mother’s native Poland trying out for the country’s under-19 national team. Lucky-Mitchell provided the foundation.

“I think Charlie had a great night,” said Pazanti, whose team likely would play in Division 2 or 3, depending on how the Southern Section structures the playoffs. “She’s the only [returning] senior on the floor, so we’re a super young squad. We changed to have her playing six rotations [rather than] just playing front row. We were running a 6-2, and I needed her leadership on the floor, someone who’s been in those moments.”

Huntington Beach’s Charlie Lucky-Mitchell (15) blocks a kill, with help from Camilla Florgan (20), against Marina on Thursday. (Don Leach / Staff Photographer) Lucky-Mitchell started as a sophomore for the Oilers’ third successive regional qualifier. Last year’s team went 14-20 and a game out of playoff contention.

“I’m thrilled [to be going to CIF]. I think we’ve put in the work,” Lucky-Mitchell said. “Last year was more of a building year for us. … We were just really young. I think the mental part of the game starts to come as you’re older and you build that IQ. I feel like this year is starting to come together for a lot of us, and we’re starting to understand how to work with each other but also how to deal with the pressure of the game.”

Jones delivered 12 kills and was in on two blocks, Hartwell provided 11 kills and two aces and Elin Tuttle had six kills and a block assist to lead Marina, which with victories here and Tuesday at winless Fountain Valley might have forced a showdown next week with the Oilers for the CIF berth.

Marina’s Jayda Jones (3) puts a kill away for a point against Huntington Beach on Thursday. (Don Leach / Staff Photographer) Marina coach Ryan Parker, whose team could fall anywhere from Division 2 to Division 4, is “as confident as I can be” that the Vikings will play on.

“It’s how the chips fall,” he said. “You never like to have things out of your control, but we did our work early in the season, got [beyond] .500 [to qualify]. I feel fairly confident, but I wouldn’t bet one way or the other.”

Newport Harbor (26-6, 9-2) clinched second in the Sunset League with a 25-17, 23-25, 23-25, 25-9, 15-4 Battle of the Bay win over third-place Corona del Mar (21-8, 7-4) as Morgan Starkenburg and Ella Olson provided 21 kills apiece. Sofia Dajnowiec had 23 kills and Savannah Dennis 10 kills, but injuries hindered both as the Sailors rallied in fourth- and fifth-set romps.

Marina’s Elin Tuttle (17) puts a kill away for a point against Huntington Beach on Thursday. (Don Leach / Staff Photographer) Edison (13-16, 3-9), the only Sunset team not playoff-eligible, finished its season with a 21-25, 25-18, 25-13, 25-18 win over Fountain Valley (15-12, 0-11) behind 12 kills from Tessa Beckman and 10 each from Jordyn Luna and Kate De Jong. The first set was the first the Barons had won this season in Sunset League play.

Laguna Beach (10-13, 7-1) captured a share of the Pacific Hills League championship, pulling out a 25-15, 13-25, 25-13, 21-25, 15-7 triumph to knock host Irvine (9-14, 6-1) from atop the standings. Iris Rowe (19 kills, one block) led the Breakers, Finley Dorst and Zoey Bond combined for 17 kills and two blocks, and freshman Savanna Mair served nine aces.

The Vaqueros can win a piece of the title with a home victory Monday over third-place Woodbridge (12-14, 3-4).

Huntington Beach’s Adrianna McGrath (24) battles Marina’s Jayda Jones (3) in a Sunset League girls’ volleyball game on Thursday. (Don Leach / Staff Photographer) SportsHuntington Beach SportsLaguna Beach Sports Get our free TimesOC newsletter, sent twice a week, for the news that matters to your community.