State Champ Orange Coast Paces Pack in All-Conference Recognition

It is no surprise that two Orange Coast players were named the co-most valuable players of the Orange Empire Conference this season and eight Pirates in all were selected to all-OEC teams.

Orange Coast captured its third 3C2A State Championship in a row and 10^th overall, ended with a perfect 20-0 record and went 8-0 in conference.

The Pirates lost just six sets all season and swept 16 teams, including six in OEC play. OCC defeated its last seven opponents in straight sets, including taking down San Diego Mesa, 25-22, 25-13, 25-23, in the state championship match on Apr. 27.

Orange Coast sophomore outside hitters Cole Hauser and Myles Henderson were selected as co-most valuable players.

Hauser averaged 3.18 kills per set and 3.8 points per set and hit .375 overall. And he averaged a solid 2.60 kills per set and 1.65 digs per set in conference play.

Henderson averaged 2.65 kills and had a 3.11 hitting percentage overall and averaged 2.32 kills and 1.63 digs per set in the OEC.

Orange Coast also had sophomore setter Landon Seymour, sophomore middle blocker Andrew Robbins and freshman opposite Kam Vakilian named first team all-conference and freshman opposite Jacob Surette, freshman libero Jacob Bayston and freshman setter Jase Fukushima selected to the second team.

Irvine Valley was next with five selections on the two teams. Freshman setter and opposite Grant Dvorak and sophomore outside hitter Matt Reid were each picked first team and freshman middle blocker Grant Doering, sophomore outside hitters Zach McEntire and Damon Kooiman were named second team.

Golden West had freshman outside hitter Curtis Harper selected to the first team and sophomore middle blocker and opposite Ezra Vlad and freshman middle blocker Aaron Greene named second team all-OEC.

Golden West and Irvine Valley tied for second place in the conference with 5-3 records.

Nick Amado of Golden West was also named the coach of the year in conference after leading the Rustlers to a record of 16-5 overall and a trip to the 3C2A State semifinals.

Also making the first team in conference was Fullerton right side and setter Alex Guastella.

As far as end of the year statistics, Golden West's Harper led the conference with 4.42 kills per set and in total kills with 212. Hauser from Orange Coast led in hitting percentage at .375, OCC's Surette was tops in blocks per set at 1.17, Golden West's Jaden Kodongan led in digs per set at 2.96, Henderson led in aces per set at 0.58 and Evan Shank from Fullerton was first in assists per set at 7.99.

The full Orange Empire Conference honors can be seen below.

CO-MOST VALUABLE PLAYERS OF THE YEAR:

Cole Hauser, Orange Coast
Myles Henderson, Orange Coast

COACH OF THE YEAR: Nick Amado, Golden West

FIRST TEAM ALL-ORANGE EMPIRE CONFERENCE

Landon Seymour, Orange Coast
Andrew Robbins, Orange Coast
Kam Vakilian, Orange Coast
Curtis Harper, Golden West
Grant Dvorak, Irvine Valley
Matt Reid, Irvine Valley
Alex Guastella, Fullerton

SECOND TEAM ALL-ORANGE EMPIRE CONFERENCE

Jacob Surette, Orange Coast
Jacob Bayston, Orange Coast
Jase Fukushima, Orange Coast
Ezra Vlad, Golden West
Aaron Greene, Golden West
Drake Goering, Irvine Valley
Zach McEntire, Irvine Valley
Damon Kooiman, Irvine Valley
Sebastian Acosta, Fullerton
Ryan Dickinson, Santiago Canyon

Release by Brent Shaver, Irvine Valley