By Zach Cavanagh
For in-game updates, news and more for all of the San Clemente High School sports programs, follow us on Twitter @SouthOCSports.
Boys Volleyball Continues Dominant Stretch to League Title
The San Clemente boys volleyball team cruised to another two victories over the past week, resulting in an early clinching of the South Coast League championship.
The Tritons’ sweep victory over Tesoro, 25-15, 25-17, 25-21, on Thursday, May 6, wrapped up the league title with two matches left to play. San Clemente has now won back-to-back South Coast League championships and three in the past four full seasons. San Clemente won the title in 2019, and the season was not completed in 2020.
San Clemente followed up with another sweep over Trabuco Hills, 3-0, on Tuesday, May 11. The Tritons have dropped only one set in seven league matches during a 21-1 run. In total, San Clemente (10-1, 7-0) has dropped only four sets all season for a 31-4 overall set record.
The Tritons wrap up league play and the regular season at Aliso Niguel on Thursday, May 13. The Wolverines were the only league team to take a set from San Clemente in a 3-1 Tritons’ victory on April 27 at San Clemente High School.
After that, the Tritons will await their draw in the CIF-SS playoffs, when the brackets are announced on Saturday, May 15.
In the latest rankings, San Clemente is No. 5 in the combined Divisions 1 and 2 poll behind No. 1 Loyola of Los Angeles and a three-way tie for No. 2 among Corona del Mar, Newport Harbor and Mira Costa of Manhattan Beach. This ranking will slot the Tritons into the Division 1 playoffs, which begin on Tuesday, May 18.
Boys Tennis Extends Title Run, League Streak
Despite graduation losses of top players and a break in the run due to last season’s pandemic-related cancellation, the championship beat rolls on for the San Clemente boys tennis team in the South Coast League.
The Tritons captured their 10th consecutive South Coast League championship with another 8-0 run through league play, which extends their league winning streak to 80 consecutive South Coast League matches.
Among those contributing to this season’s championship run include seniors Nathan Carey, Arya Nemati and Nathan Kelly, as well as junior No. 1 singles player Michael Milner.
CIF-SS team tennis brackets will be released on Monday, May 17, with wild-card games on Tuesday, May 18, and the first round starting on Wednesday, May 20.
Soccer Teams Open CIF-SS Playoffs
The San Clemente boys and girls soccer teams both finished second in the South Coast League and earned berths into the CIF-SS Division 1 playoffs.
The San Clemente boys begin their run for redemption in the first round on Thursday, May 13, against Los Alamitos. Last season, the Tritons were the top-ranked team in Division 1 and reigning champions before losing on penalty kicks in a scoreless draw.
San Clemente (9-1-2) and Sunset Surf League champion Los Alamitos (13-7) have only one common opponent on each other’s schedule: Santa Ana. The Tritons beat the Saints, 8-0, and the Griffins beat Santa Ana, 3-0.
The San Clemente girls kicked off their playoffs at home against El Dorado on Wednesday, May 12, but results were not available at press time. The winner of Wednesday’s game will travel to take on No. 1 seed Harvard-Westlake in the second round on Friday, May 14.
Boys Basketball Tied for Top Spot in League
The San Clemente boys basketball team recorded a huge victory in the race for the South Coast League title on Friday, May 7.
The Tritons knocked off league-leading Capistrano Valley, 51-44, at San Clemente High School to even their season series and force a tie atop the South Coast League standings. Capo Valley won big in their first matchup, 61-38, on April 21.
In Monday’s latest CIF-SS rankings, San Clemente (9-2, 4-1) moved up to No. 8 in Division 2A, and Capistrano Valley (9-1, 4-1) dropped to No. 14 in Division 1 and off the Open Division watch list.
San Clemente next hosted Trabuco Hills on Wednesday, May 12, but results were not available at press time. The Tritons are next in action at Mission Viejo on Friday, May 14.
Zach Cavanagh
Zach Cavanagh is the sports editor for Picket Fence Media. Zach is a California Journalism Award winner and has covered sports in Orange County since 2013. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram @ZachCav and follow our sports coverage on Twitter @SouthOCSports. Email at zcavanagh@picketfencemedia.com.
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