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CdM’s Moss gathers success

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What a senior year for Ryan Moss at Corona del Mar High. There aren’t many high school athletes who can say they started in two CIF Southern Section championships in two different sports, all in a span of less than three months.

Moss pulled it off this past school year, first with the boys’ basketball team in early March and then with the boys’ volleyball team in late May. Rarely was there time for Moss to take a break, jumping from basketball to volleyball.

When you’re having as much fun as Moss, you could care less about rest. The rides to the section finals in both sports are special to the 6-foot-7 Moss because he played a big role and he was able to do it with three teammates, Kevin Fults, Matt Ctvrtlik and Sam Kobrine.

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While the four came up short in the section finale in each sport, what mattered most to Moss is that they left the last court they played on together as winners. Moss, an outside hitter, led the way, capping his career with a second straight CIF Southern California Regional Division II volleyball title.

Moss is the Daily Pilot Newport-Mesa Volleyball Dream Team Player of the Year, and Fults, Ctvrtlik and Kobrine join him on the Dream Team. Moss couldn’t have asked for a better last year at CdM, contributing to undefeated Pacific Coast League crowns in basketball and volleyball.

“The camaraderie we’ve built over the years was unique,” Moss said. “I’m going to miss my teammates, my coaches.”

Moss played for two of the top high school coaches in Orange County, Ryan Schachter in basketball and Steve Conti in volleyball. The two agreed that this was the year Moss put in the most work and Moss reaped the benefits.

While Moss produced a triple-double (14 points, 10 rebounds and 13 blocks) in a basketball game, there were far more accolades for Moss in volleyball. He earned the Pacific Coast League MVP award, made the All-Orange County first team and All-CIF Southern Section Division I, and played in the 38th annual Dave Mohs Memorial Orange County High School All-Star Match for seniors. Moss, a two-time Dream Team selection, finished with 291 kills, 107 digs, 55 total blocks and 41 service aces.

The stats could have been more impressive, but Moss missed the first month of the volleyball season. He got a late start because of a lengthy basketball season, which included a CIF Southern Section Division 3A runner-up finish. As a center, Moss helped the Sea Kings (25-8, 10-0 in league) win a CIF State Southern California Regional Division III game, the program’s first win in the state tournament in 15 seasons.

The last time a two-sport athlete at CdM started in a section final in basketball and volleyball in the same school year was Kevin Hansen, back in 1999. Hansen went on to become an All-American setter at Stanford and represent the U.S. men’s volleyball team at the Olympic Games in Beijing in 2008, winning the gold.

Conti said he hasn’t talked to Moss about whether he has aspirations to become an Olympian. The size and talent is there with Moss. More importantly to Conti, the maturity Moss showed on and off the court bodes well for his future at USC.

“His best volleyball is in front of him,” said Conti, who has watched Moss develop into an offensive force and improve his defense, keys to CdM (31-7, 10-0 in league) making its 11th section finals appearance during Conti’s 20 years in charge of the Sea Kings.

The path to the section championship was memorable for Moss, even though CdM lost in five sets to powerhouse Huntington Beach.

In order to face Huntington Beach, CdM had to get past Los Angeles Loyola, which had never lost in five matches at home to the Sea Kings under Conti’s watch. Moss and the Sea Kings changed that, stunning the host Cubs by sweeping them, 28-26, 25-22, 28-26, in the semifinals to reach the premier division’s finale for the first time in 15 years.

Getting it done at Loyola pleased Moss, who recorded his 14th kill at match point. The Cubs had taken the previous three matchups against CdM, two in April and a five-set semifinal the year before at Loyola.

Loyola was also the site where Moss played his first varsity match for CdM two years ago. He remembers it quite well.

“We just got ran over when we were sophomores and we wanted to get out of that gym in a hurry,” said Moss, whose mother, Melinda, chimed in after the contest, telling him about a family connection to Loyola. “My mom told me that was the same gym my [late] grandpa, James McCloskey, used to play in when he went to Loyola. He played football and basketball, and my mom said I was an exact clone of him. He was 6-8.”

Size and two-sport standouts seem to run in Moss’ family.

Below are the rest of the players on this year’s Dream Team:

Kevin Fults

OPP | Corona del Mar

The senior opposite provided leadership and consistent play for the Sea Kings, who went undefeated in the Pacific Coast League, finished as the CIF Southern Section Division 1 runner-up and claimed the CIF Southern California Regional Division II crown. Fults, who made All-CIF Southern Section Division 1 and the All-Orange County and All-Pacific Coast League first teams, produced 172 kills, 87 digs, 52 total blocks and five service aces. The 6-foot-3 UC Santa Barbara signee played in the 38th annual Dave Mohs Memorial Orange County High School All-Star Match for seniors.

Matt Ctvrtlik

S | Corona del Mar

The 6-foot-5 junior setter quarterbacked the Sea Kings’ back-to-back CIF Southern California Regional Division II title runs, marking the first time CdM has won consecutive postseason championships under Coach Steve Conti. Ctvrtlik totaled 868 assists, 85 digs, 44 aces, 42 total blocks and 41 kills, earning All-CIF Southern Section Division 1, second-team All-Orange County and first-team All-Pacific Coast League accolades. He was also the Dream Team Player of the Year in basketball this past season. Ctvrtlik is a two-time Dream Team selection in volleyball.

Augie Miller

MB | Corona del Mar

The senior middle blocker was one of those players the Sea Kings could always rely on no matter the situation, and more often than not he came through. Miller, who is heading to Pepperdine, was a member of the All-Pacific Coast League first team and All-Orange County second team, producing 230 kills and 68 total blocks. The 6-foot-4 Miller participated in the 38th annual Dave Mohs Memorial Orange County High School All-Star Match for seniors. Miller is a time-time Dream Team selection.

Sam Kobrine

OH | Corona del Mar

The junior outside hitter sparked the Sea Kings to their fourth 30-win season during Conti’s 20 years at the helm. Kobrine’s best performance came in the CIF Southern California Regional Division II finals, recording 18 kills and seven digs to rally CdM to a five-set win against Oak Park. Kobrine, a second-team All-Pacific Coast League pick and All-Orange County honorable mention, had 214 kills, 93 digs, 32 total blocks and 10 aces. USA Volleyball selected Kobrine for its youth national training team.

Will Hunter

MB | Corona del Mar

The junior middle blocker made his presence felt on a Sea King roster loaded with talent. Hunter, who is 6-foot-4, led CdM with eight block assists in the CIF Southern California Regional Division II championship, Conti’s third win at the tournament in five years. The first-team All-Pacific Coast League member and All-Orange County honorable mention tallied 224 kills and 131 total blocks. Hunter, along with Ctvrtlik and Kobrine, plan to return to CdM next season, giving the Sea Kings a formidable trio.

Mason Tufuga

OPP | Costa Mesa

The junior opposite lifted the Mustangs to the CIF Southern Section Division 2 playoffs for the first time in six years. Tufuga, who shared the Orange Coast League MVP award, was a one-man hitting machine for Coach Todd Hanson, collecting 360 kills, to go with 98 digs, 64 aces, 61 blocks and 58 assists. The 6-foot-5 Tufuga hit .459, leading the Mustangs to 13 overall wins, two more than they posted in the previous four seasons combined. Tufuga made the All-Orange County honorable mention list.

Cole Pender

OH | Newport Harbor

The freshman outside hitter led the Sailors to the CIF Southern Section Division 1 playoffs, a year after they failed to qualify for the postseason, ending a 28-year playoff run. Pender garnered first-team All-Sunset League honors after Newport Harbor split second in league with Los Alamitos. The Sailors were 5-10, before they closed out the season winning eight of 12. The future looks bright at Newport Harbor with Pender and a handful of young players returning for Coach Rocky Ciarelli.

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