Corona del Mar players celebrate after defeating Mater Dei in three straight games during a CIF-SS Division 1 first round playoff game in Corona del Mar on Wednesday, April 29, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Mater Dei middle blocker Sawyer Stys hits the ball past Corona del Mar blockers Hunter Hannemann, left, and Jack Robinson during a CIF-SS Division 1 first round playoff game in Corona del Mar on Wednesday, April 29, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Corona del Mar setter Drake Foley digs the ball during a CIF-SS Division 1 first round playoff game against Mater Dei in Corona del Mar on Wednesday, April 29, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Corona del Mar outside hitter Brady Gant hits the ball during a 3 games to 0 win in a CIF-SS Division 1 first round playoff game against Mater Dei in Corona del Mar on Wednesday, April 29, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Corona del Mar outside hitter Hunter Hannemann hits the ball while Mater Dei’s Jeremiah Potasi, center, and Sosene Schuster put up a block during a CIF-SS Division 1 first round playoff game in Corona del Mar on Wednesday, April 29, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Mater Dei outside hitter Jeremiah Potasi hits the ball through Corona del Mar blockers Daniel Booker, left, and Drake Foley during a CIF-SS Division 1 first round playoff game in Corona del Mar on Wednesday, April 29, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Mater Dei’s Brayden Weber digs the ball during a CIF-SS Division 1 first round playoff game against Corona del Mar in Corona del Mar on Wednesday, April 29, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Mater Dei outside hitter Jeremiah Potasi hits the ball during a CIF-SS Division 1 first round playoff game against Corona del Mar in Corona del Mar on Wednesday, April 29, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Corona del Mar middle hitter Jack Robinson gets an uncontested hit on a quick set before Mater Dei players can put up a block during a 3 games to 0 win in a CIF-SS Division 1 first round playoff game between the two teams in Corona del Mar on Wednesday, April 29, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Corona del Mar players celebrate after defeating Mater Dei in three straight games during a CIF-SS Division 1 first round playoff game in Corona del Mar on Wednesday, April 29, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Corona del Mar’s Brady Gant, center, and Daniel Booker block a hit by Mater Dei opposite hitter Jeremiah Potasi, left, during a CIF-SS Division 1 first round playoff game in Corona del Mar on Wednesday, April 29, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Mater Dei outside hitter Deakon Cortes hits the ball during a CIF-SS Division 1 first round playoff game against Corona del Mar in Corona del Mar on Wednesday, April 29, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Corona del Mar outside hitter Brady Gant tips the ball over the block of Mater Dei outside hitter Deakon Cortes during a CIF-SS Division 1 first round playoff game in Corona del Mar on Wednesday, April 29, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Corona del Mar outside hitter Ben Brown hits the ball while Mater Dei’s Ben Smith, center, and Sosene Schuster put up a block during a CIF-SS Division 1 first round playoff game in Corona del Mar on Wednesday, April 29, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Corona del Mar setter Drake Foley sets the ball during a CIF-SS Division 1 first round playoff game against Mater Dei in Corona del Mar on Wednesday, April 29, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Mater Dei’s Deakon Cortes hits the ball through Corona del Mar blockers Jack Robinson, left, and Brady Gant during a CIF-SS Division 1 first round playoff game in Corona del Mar on Wednesday, April 29, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Corona del Mar setter Drake Foley sets the ball during a CIF-SS Division 1 first round playoff game against Mater Dei in Corona del Mar on Wednesday, April 29, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Mater Dei outside hitter Jeremiah Potasi digs the ball during a CIF-SS Division 1 first round playoff game against Corona del Mar in Corona del Mar on Wednesday, April 29, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Corona del Mar outside hitter Hunter Hannemann hits the ball during a CIF-SS Division 1 first round playoff game against Mater Dei in Corona del Mar on Wednesday, April 29, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Corona del Mar outside hitter Ben Brown hits the ball during a 3 games to 0 win in a CIF-SS Division 1 first round playoff game against Mater Dei in Corona del Mar on Wednesday, April 29, 2026. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Orange County Register/SCNG)
NEWPORT BEACH — Corona del Mar’s impressive rally in the second set Wednesday showed how good the Sea Kings team can be.
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They will need to be that good, or better, in a few days.
Corona del Mar swept Mater Dei, 25-16, 25-21, 25-14, in the first round of the CIF Southern Section Division 1 boys volleyball playoffs at Corona del Mar High.
The Sea Kings put together a big comeback in the second set. They trailed, 16-8, before outscoring the Monarchs, 17-5, to get the win.
The Sea Kings (26-5) will play at Huntington Beach (22-4) in the quarterfinals Tuesday.
Huntington Beach is one of four teams in Division 1 that had a first-round bye. The others were Loyola, Mira Costa and Redondo Union. The Southern Section placed 12 teams in the 16-berth Division 1 bracket.
Corona del Mar and Huntington Beach are thoroughly familiar with each other. They split their two Sunset League matches. Corona del Mar swept the Oilers at Corona del Mar on March 4, and Huntington Beach, the league champion, beat the second-place Sea Kings in four sets at Huntington Beach on March 27.
Sea Kings senior outside hitters Ben Brown and Hunter Hannemann had 10 kills each. Senior opposite hitter Brady Gant added seven kills and junior middle blocker Daniel Booker had six. Senior setter Drake Foley delivered 21 assists.
Mater Dei finishes the season 25-15-3 overall and finished in second place in the Trinity League.
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The match Wednesday had several big battles at the net, as well the athletic digs and the high-velocity kills and serves that are common to CIF-SS Division 1 volleyball.
Corona del Mar pulled away early from Mater Dei on the way to a 25-16 win in the first set.
The second set was much more challenging for the Sea Kings.
Led by junior Jeremiah Potasi, who was converted to outside hitter from setter, Mater Dei dominated as it built a 16-8 lead in the second set. Corona del Mar senior middle Jack Robinson provided key kills and blocks and Hanneman was a kill machine down the stretch as the Sea Kings won the set, 25-21.
Brown credited the Monarchs for their inspired play in the early going of the second set.
“We just had to calm down,” Brown said. “Their coach and their team did a great job of putting pressure on us.”
Corona del Mar was in control of the third set from the start. The Sea Kings finished strong, scoring the set’s final seven points.
“Our first set, we were pretty efficient,” Sea Kings coach Katey Thompson said of her team. “Then we got caught up in the chaos and had to dig ourselves out and fortunately we approached it point by point. It’s definitely not the best we’ve played, but hopefully we’ll play our best on Tuesday.”
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