Boys’ Volleyball: Trio leads Balboa Bay to bronze at Junior National Championships

HOUSTON — Joey Martino, a recent Corona del Mar High graduate, and Newport Harbor recent graduates Clay Carr and Nic Sargeant helped the Balboa Bay Volleyball Club Asics boys’ team claim the bronze medal in the 18-and-under open division at the USA Junior National Championships on Tuesday.

The trio led Balboa Bay to a 7-3 record during the four-day tournament. Balboa Bay won its first five matches.

Ultimate Volleyball Club’s Gold team, from Illinois, defeated Balboa Bay, 25-21, 25-22, in the best-of-three match for third and fourth place.

Martino, an outside hitter, is bound for UC Santa Barbara to play volleyball, Carr, an opposite, to play at Pepperdine, and Sargeant, a libero, is going to Oregon for school.

During his senior year at CdM, Martino contributed to the Sea Kings winning the Pacific Coast League and CIF Southern California Regional Division II titles. Martino earned All-CIF Southern Section Division 1, second-team All-Orange County and Daily Pilot Newport-Mesa Dream Team honors, and he shared the Pacific Coast League MVP.

Carr and Sargeant made the All-Sunset League first team, the Dream Team, and the All-Orange County honorable mention list.

— From staff reports