Sports
Mira Costa boys volleyball looking to add CIF State title to season’s accomplishments
The Mira Costa boys volleyball team has a chance to make history. The Mustangs, who won their ninth CIF Southern Section championship two weeks ago and a CIF Southern California Regional title last week, now have their sights on winning a CIF State championship. This is the first year that there are state championships for […]
The Mira Costa boys volleyball team has a chance to make history.
The Mustangs, who won their ninth CIF Southern Section championship two weeks ago and a CIF Southern California Regional title last week, now have their sights on winning a CIF State championship.
This is the first year that there are state championships for boys volleyball.
Mira Costa (36-2) will face Archbishop Mitty (40-2) in the Division I final at Fresno City College on Saturday at 4:30 p.m.
Mira Costa won regional titles in 2016 and 2021 before winning its third title last week by sweeping Huntington Beach. Mira Costa lost in the regional final in 2018 and last year.
Archbishop Mitty won the 2013 Division I Northern California Regional title and lost in the regional final last year.
“It would mean everything just to be the first real California state champions,” Mira Costa middle blocker Alex Heins said after the regional final. “That would be such a cool honor. We all want it so bad.”
The two losses this season for Archbishop Mitty (40-2) were to Junipero Serra of Modesto on April 3 and a five-set match against Santa Cruz on April 14.
The Mustangs lost their first match of the season March 8 against Loyola in the final of the Best of the West tournament in San Diego. Their last loss was on April 5 to Chicago’s Marist High in five sets in the finals of the Karch Kiraly Tournament of Champions in Santa Barbara.
After going the five-set limit against Huntington Beach in the CIF-SS Division 1 final, the Mustangs swept their way through the CIF SoCal Regional defeating Beckman, Newport Harbor and Huntington Beach.
For seniors like Thatcher Fahlbusch, winning would be the perfect way to cap their high school volleyball careers.
“I made the switch to Costa (after transferring from Loyola),” Fahlbusch said. “I had to do the 35-day sit-out and last season (junior year) wasn’t easy for me.
“I came back this year and I knew I had a chance to come in and work for a starting spot, a lot went into that. A lot of work and I think the ups and downs, made me who I am today and I’m grateful for them.”
Fahlbusch initially committed to Grand Canyon University. However, in April GCU announced that it was cutting the men’s volleyball program.
Earlier this month, Fahlbusch announced that he committed to Hawaii.
Match info
The state final match will air live on the NFHS Network at 4:30 p.m. Tickets are available via GoFan for $12 (general admission) and $8 (children 5 and over; students and seniors 65 and over).
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