ALL-COUNTY BOYS VOLLEYBALL TEAM 2026
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Ben Arguello, Huntington Beach, Senior
Huntington Beach High School has a rich tradition in boys volleyball. The Oilers’ program has produced many All-CIF and All-Orange County standouts.
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Senior Ben Arguello continued that tradition. He led the Oilers to the championship of the Sunset League, which is the best boys volleyball league in Orange County and one of the better groups in California.
Arguello was league co-MVP with teammate Logan Hutnick, who was last season’s Orange County player of the year. He was named to the All-CIF Southern Section Division 1 team. Arguello was also selected to the all-tournament team for the prestigious Best of the West tournament.
Huntington Beach advanced to the CIF-SS Division 1 semifinals, where it lost to Mira Costa. The Oilers finished 23-6 overall and 11-1 in the Sunset League.
Arguello said his favorite highlights of this season were the team trip to Hawaii in early March and beating Corona del Mar in a league match. The Sea Kings beat Huntington Beach in league play earlier in the season.
“They swept us that first time,” Arguello said. “We weren’t fully ready, all of our players weren’t really meshing together and our passing wasn’t great. We went back and worked on everything and it came together.”
Huntington Beach beat rival Corona del Mar in four sets in that Sunset rematch. The Oilers also swept the Sea Kings in the Division 1 playoffs.
Arguello was called up to the Huntington Beach varsity from the junior varsity team during his freshman year. He quickly developed into an outstanding attacking player and later became one of the team’s most reliable servers, and improved his blocking, digging and passing.
“Ben’s probably the most physical guy in that position (opposite hitter) in CIF,” said Huntington Beach coach Craig Pazanti. “That’s what made him a varsity player as a freshman, his physicality.”
Arguello will play at state champion Golden West College next spring. He said he will miss playing with his teammates at Huntington Beach.
“We had a lot of guys who really love the game,” Arguello said. “It was always a good time with those guys, in games or in practice. It was a super-energetic squad.”
COACH OF THE YEAR
Henry Valiente, Orange Lutheran
Henry Valiente led Orange Lutheran to the CIF Southern Section Division 2 championship.
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The Lancers also advanced to the CIF Southern California Regional Division II championship match. They finished the season 27-11. Orange Lutheran finished fifth in the six-team Trinity League and qualified for the CIF-SS playoffs as an at-large team.
In the CIF-SS playoffs Orange Lutheran beat Beckman (first round), Fountain Valley (second round), St. Margaret’s (semifinals) and Edison (finals).
Valiente, 42, has coached the Lancers for seven seasons. Orange Lutheran was a CIF-SS Division 3 finalist last season.
FIRST TEAM
Ben Arguello, Huntington Beach, Sr.: Orange County player of the year.
Brent Benson, Edison, Sr.: Benson was an All-Sunset League first team selection and was named boys MVP at the Orange County All-Star Matches.
Ben Brown, Corona del Mar, Sr.: Brown was named to the All-Sunset League first team; he committed to UC Santa Barbara.
Drake Foley, Corona del Mar, Sr.: The All-Sunset League first-team selection is going to Penn State.
Logan Hutnick, Huntington Beach, Jr.: Logan was a Sunset League co-MVP with his teammate Ben Arguello.
Jeremiah Potasi, Mater Dei, Jr.: He was named to the All-Trinity League first team.
Carter Tchaikovsky, Huntington Beach, So.: The Oilers setter was All-Sunset League first team.
Sam Utu, Orange Lutheran, Sr.: He is the CIF-SS Division 2 player of the year. He is going to Southern Methodist University on a football scholarship.
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Chase Wallin, Santa Margarita, Jr.: Wallin was the Trinity League MVP.
Billy Watkins, Fountain Valley, Sr.: Watkins was All-Sunset League first team.
SECOND TEAM
Mats Arens, Newport Harbor, Sr.
Colin Choi, Huntington Beach, Sr.
Max Draper, Tesoro Sr.
Cameron Kosolcharoen, San Clemente, Jr.
Ben Panzica, Los Alamitos, Jr.
Tyler Pence, Newport Harbor, Sr.
Ben Smith, Mater Dei, Sr.
Josiah Trautman, Orange Lutheran, Sr.
Chapman Warmington, Corona del Mar, Sr.
Alex Wick, Newport Harbor, Sr.
THIRD TEAM
Daniel Booker, Corona del Mar, Jr.
Luas Cuellar, Foothill, Sr.
Robbie Harrell, San Clemente, Sr.
Beckett Harvey, St. Margaret’s, Sr.
Hunter Hannerman, Corona del Mar, Sr.
Mike Komer, Los Alamitos, Sr.
Jake Schutt, Servite, Sr.
Josiah Suhr, Beckman, Sr.
Parker Mesnik, Sunny Hills, Sr.
Nathan Nguyen, Garden Grove, Sr.
FOURTH TEAM
Aidan Dunn, Canyon, Sr.
Piece Beeding, Cypress, Jr.
Blake Herman, Santa Margarita, Sr.
Noah Igo, Los Alamitos, Sr.
Kenno Kosty, Huntington Beach, Jr.
Robert Linker, Beckman, Jr.
Max Lopez, Orange Lutheran, So.
Charlie Panzica, Los Alamitos, Jr.
Fenton Regan, Santa Margarita, Sr.
Jake Sueki, Sunny Hills, Sr.