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Sports

Samohi Spikes to Southern Section Finals

The Vikings beat Windward on Tuesday to advance to the Division 4 championship match.

All season long, the boys volleyball team has played with a target on its back. As the No. 1-ranked team in the last CIF Southern Section Division 4 poll and the top seed in the playoffs, the Vikings have gotten used to being the favorites.

They certainly looked comfortable as the team to beat Tuesday night in the semifinals, stepping up their game over the final two sets to dispatch visiting Windward School, 25-21, 22-25, 25-20, 25-20, and advance to Saturday's Division 4 championship match against second-seeded San Gabriel at Cypress College.

The Almont League champion Matadors (26-3) swept visiting Culver City, 25-15, 25-20, 25-15, in Tuesday's other semifinal. Culver City (17-14-1) finished second to Samohi in the Ocean League. 

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"Yes, it's good to be recognized as No. 1 and get that respect, but it's difficult to keep from getting overconfident at times," Samohi junior libero Cody O'Connell said. "The pressure's there, but we just feel that this is our year. We all get along, and we have a number of seniors who are all excellent."

Windward led 18-16 in the first set before Samohi used a 6-2 run to take control. In the second set, Samohi had a 18-17 lead before the fourth-seeded Wildcats (17-5) scored four straight points to take command. The Vikings pulled even at 21-21 before Windward closed out the set on a stuff block by Peter Gutman.

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"We did not play our best game, but that team is very good," Windward setter Chase Pion said. "It's disappointing to lose, but we left it all on the court."

Samohi (22-11) showed its resolve in the crucial third set, using a 6-1 run to take a 22-17 lead. Senior outside hitter Charles Levy's uncontested kill down the line brought the Vikings to set point, and they took a two-sets-to-one lead on a roof.

Levy had several thunderous spikes that fired up the home crowd and motivated his teammates.

"He's our captain, he's the man," O'Connell said of Levy. "He's our emotional leader, the heart of our team. He gets us pumped up, and we feed off his energy."

In the fourth set, Samohi used a 7-2 run to take a 21-16 lead. Windward closed to within 21-19 before Levy's crosscourt kill restored order and the Vikings closed out the match with a two-man stuff block on Gutman four points later.

"I've got eight seniors, and they are not only good players, they are all fantastic student-athletes," Samohi coach Liane Sato said. 

Setter Ethan Kahan delivered accurate sets all match long for Julian Hess, David Cline, Dane Keckin and Ryan Odening. Samohi shored up its defense in the last two sets, protecting the middle of the court to guard against the quick sets and dumps of Windward setter Chase Pion.

"We saw he was doing that, and we had to make sure we had that play covered," O'Connell said. "The run we put on at the end of the third [set] was a huge momentum builder."

Samohi is the only local school left in the CIF volleyball playoffs.

lost in four sets to San Gabriel in the Division 4 quarterfinals, and lost in five sets to San Gabriel Academy in the second round of the Division 5 bracket, despite a season-high 26 kills by Mariners senior Tanner Peach. 

The Vikings won the last of their four Southern Section titles in 2006. They reached the semifinals in Division 3 last spring. Saturday's Division 4 championship match is scheduled to start at 4 p.m. in Gym 1 at Cypress College.

General admission is $9, and tickets for students and children cost $5.

Directions to Cypress College: I-10 East to 60 East to I-5 South, exit 118 toward Valley View Ave. Take the Firestone Blvd. ramp towards Valley View Ave. Turn slight right onto Firestone Blvd. Turn left onto Valley View Ave, which becomes Valley View St. Make a U-turn at Karen Ave. onto Valley View St. Cypress College is on the right at 9200 Valley View St.

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