Culver City Volleyball Advances to Semis

Perhaps Culver City High's boys volleyball team should consider a new nickname after its five-set triumph over Yucaipa on Saturday night in the quarterfinals of the Southern Section Division 4 playoffs.

The "Cinderella Centaurs" kept their remarkable playoff run alive with a 25-23, 21-25, 20-25, 25-21, 15-13 triumph. Or maybe "Comeback Kids" would be a more fitting moniker after they rallied from two sets to one down to knock off the Citrus Belt League champion Thunderbirds, who had entered the match with a gaudy 17-1-1 record.

Whatever name they go by, with just two more victories they will also be called CIF champions.

"The team was not going to end its season on bad play," Culver City Coach Joe Manzo said. "They were not playing their best and realized that all their hard work was about to go to waste. I told them that in order to continue on this wonderful journey, we had to start playing volleyball the way we were taught starting back in February. Defense is going to win championships and this team would not let the ball hit the floor without one or two bodies on the ground.  They looked at each other in the huddle and they knew that somehow they were going to pull of another upset.  This team has true character and tremendous friendship."  

Culver City's comeback was led by senior captains Alex Aguilera and Andy Aguila. Setter Aguilera had 42 assists and outside hitter Aguila had 25 kills. Senior middle blocker Kekoa Mathews had seven kills and Wesley Dixon added five. The unseeded Centaurs (17-13-1) served up six aces to only 10 serve receive errors. 

Aguila has pounded 66 kills in Culver City's three playoff victories. 

"The trip back on the bus was very fun and the boys were really excited and happy to be driving back with the "W" and to live to play another day," Manzo said.

On the defensive side of the net, Mathews came up with 10 blocks, senior opposite hitter Cedric Margo had seven blocks and senior middle blocker Connor Finn added five. The Centaurs dug deep for the win, led by senior libero Morris Ellis (20 digs), Aguilera (15 digs), Aguila (14 digs) and Dixon (7 digs). 

The win over Yucaipa earns the Centaurs a trip to second-seeded San Gabriel on Tuesday for a 7 p.m. semifinal match. The Almont League champion Matadors (14-3-0) eliminated Crossroads in four sets in the quarterfinals and are riding a 13-match winning streak.

"San Gabriel is the No. 2 seed and a very tough team," Manzo said. "They have a couple of real good leapers and a strong defense. I hope we can outplay their defense with our offense and at least match our defense to their offense. Each team has the chance to win each game anytime. I would not predict or say what could happen, I would rather let history take its toll." 

Tuesday's winner will advance to the finals next Saturday at Cypress College against either fourth-seeded Windward or top-seeded Santa Monica.