Santa Margarita’s Ethan Saint smashes the ball towards the Redondo side during the game between Redondo vs. Santa Margarita in the CIF-SS Division 3 boys volleyball championship game at Cerritos College on Saturday, May 11, 2024. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
NORWALK – Santa Margarita lost in the first round of the CIF Southern Section boys volleyball playoffs last year, lost in the second round two years ago and in the second round the year before that.
The Eagles put all of that frustration behind them Saturday with a three-set sweep of Redondo, 25-21, 26-24, 25-18, in the CIF-SS Division 2 final at Cerritos College.
Eagles senior outside hitter Ethan Saint had a team-high 24 kills. Junior outside hitter Brooks Ignosci had nine kills, and freshman setter Chase Wallin finished with 33 assists.
Sophomore Blake Herman had two of Santa Margarita’s four aces. Herman also had 10 digs and Ignosci had 12.
Santa Margarita head coach Sinan Tanik holds up the CIF SS Division 3 championship plaque. Santa Margarita defeated Redondo in the CIF-SS Division 3 boys volleyball championship game at Cerritos College on Saturday, May 11, 2024. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
Santa Margarita players celebrate with the championship plaque. Santa Margarita defeated Redondo in the CIF-SS Division 3 boys volleyball championship game at Cerritos College on Saturday, May 11, 2024. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
Santa Margarita players touch the championship plaque as head coach Sinan Tanik runs with it by the team. Santa Margarita defeated Redondo in the CIF-SS Division 3 boys volleyball championship game at Cerritos College on Saturday, May 11, 2024. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
Santa Margarita players celebrate their victory with the championship plaque after defeating Redondo in the CIF-SS Division 3 boys volleyball championship game at Cerritos College on Saturday, May 11, 2024. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
Santa Margarita poses with the championship plaque at Cerritos College on Saturday, May 11, 2024. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
Redondo’s Luke Goldman, center, spikes through the defense of Santa Margarita’s, Ryan MacCartie, right, during the game between Redondo vs. Santa Margarita in the CIF-SS Division 3 boys volleyball championship game at Cerritos College on Saturday, May 11, 2024. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
Redondo’s Luke Goldman, right, attempts to shoot over Santa Margarita’s Luke Ackerman, left, during the game between Redondo vs. Santa Margarita in the CIF-SS Division 3 boys volleyball championship game at Cerritos College on Saturday, May 11, 2024. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
Redondo’s Carter Mirabal, left, attempts to spike the ball through the Santa Margarita defense during the game between Redondo vs. Santa Margarita in the CIF-SS Division 3 boys volleyball championship game at Cerritos College on Saturday, May 11, 2024. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
Santa Margarita’s coach Sinan Tanik, right, screams in celebration as Hayden Merz, left, and Pasha Shoar, center, rush onto the court after winning the CIF-SS Division 3 Volleyball title in a game between Redondo vs. Santa Margarita in the CIF-SS Division 3 boys volleyball championship game at Cerritos College on Saturday, May 11, 2024. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
Redondo’s Shane Friedman sets the ball during the game between Redondo vs. Santa Margarita in the CIF-SS Division 3 boys volleyball championship game at Cerritos College on Saturday, May 11, 2024. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
Santa Margarita players celebrate their victory with the championship plaque after defeating Redondo in the CIF-SS Division 3 boys volleyball championship game at Cerritos College on Saturday, May 11, 2024. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
Santa Margarita’s Ethan Saint smashes the ball towards the Redondo side during the game between Redondo vs. Santa Margarita in the CIF-SS Division 3 boys volleyball championship game at Cerritos College on Saturday, May 11, 2024. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
Santa Margarita’s Ethan Saint, center, spikes the ball through the Redondo defense, Vaughan Flaherty, left, and Luke Goldman, right, during the championship game between Redondo vs. Santa Margarita in the CIF-SS Division 3 boys volleyball championship game at Cerritos College on Saturday, May 11, 2024. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
Santa Margarita’s Chase Wallin, left, shoots between the defense of Redondo’s Drew Blair, center, and Vaughan Flaherty, right, during the game between Redondo vs. Santa Margarita in the CIF-SS Division 3 boys volleyball championship game at Cerritos College on Saturday, May 11, 2024. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
Santa Margarita’s Luke Ackerman, left, smashes the ball towards Redondo’s Cash Essert, right, during the game between Redondo vs. Santa Margarita in the CIF-SS Division 3 boys volleyball championship game at Cerritos College on Saturday, May 11, 2024. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
Redondo’s Luke Goldman, right, is blocked by Santa Margarita’s Ethan Saint, left, during the game between Redondo vs. Santa Margarita in the CIF-SS Division 3 boys volleyball championship game at Cerritos College on Saturday, May 11, 2024. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
Redondo’s Drew Blair, left, shoots towards Santa Margarita’s Ryan MacCartie, right, during the game between Redondo vs. Santa Margarita in the CIF-SS Division 3 boys volleyball championship game at Cerritos College on Saturday, May 11, 2024. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
Santa Margarita’s Ryan MacCartie, prepares to set the ball for a teammate during the game between Redondo vs. Santa Margarita in the CIF-SS Division 3 boys volleyball championship game at Cerritos College on Saturday, May 11, 2024. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
Santa Margarita’s Brooks Ignoschi, left, blocks the shot by Redondo’s Luke Goldman, right, during the game between Redondo vs. Santa Margarita in the CIF-SS Division 3 boys volleyball championship game at Cerritos College on Saturday, May 11, 2024. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
The Redondo team was runner-up in the game between Redondo vs. Santa Margarita in the CIF-SS Division 3 boys volleyball championship game at Cerritos College on Saturday, May 11, 2024. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
Santa Margarita’s Brooks Ignosci, left, shoots as Redondo’s Robert Bennett, center, and Shane Friedman, right, attempt to block during the game between Redondo vs. Santa Margarita in the CIF-SS Division 3 boys volleyball championship game at Cerritos College on Saturday, May 11, 2024. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
Redondo’s Robert Bennett, right, spikes the ball through the defense of Santa Margarita during the game between Redondo vs. Santa Margarita in the CIF-SS Division 3 boys volleyball championship game at Cerritos College on Saturday, May 11, 2024. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
Santa Margarita’s Brooks Ignosci, left, and Ryan MacCartie, center, attempt to block a shot by Redondo’s Robert Bennett, right, during the game between Redondo vs. Santa Margarita in the CIF-SS Division 3 boys volleyball championship game at Cerritos College on Saturday, May 11, 2024. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
Santa Margarita’s Brooks Ignosci, left, shoots through the Redondo defense during the game between Redondo vs. Santa Margarita in the CIF-SS Division 3 boys volleyball championship game at Cerritos College on Saturday, May 11, 2024. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
Redondo’s Luke Goldman, right, hits as Santa Margarita’s defense, Brooks Ignosci, left, and Fenton Regan, center, set up to block during the game between Redondo vs. Santa Margarita in the CIF-SS Division 3 boys volleyball championship game at Cerritos College on Saturday, May 11, 2024. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
Santa Margarita’s Brooks Ignosci, left, shoots past the Redondo defense of Cash Essert, center, and Vaughan Flaherty, right, during the game between Redondo vs. Santa Margarita in the CIF-SS Division 3 boys volleyball championship game at Cerritos College on Saturday, May 11, 2024. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
Santa Margarita’s Fenton Regan celebrates a point during the game between Redondo vs. Santa Margarita in the CIF-SS Division 3 boys volleyball championship game at Cerritos College on Saturday, May 11, 2024. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
The Redondo bench tries to pump up their team during the match between Redondo vs. Santa Margarita in the CIF-SS Division 3 boys volleyball championship game at Cerritos College on Saturday, May 11, 2024. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
Santa Margarita’s Fenton Regan, left, returns the ball as Redondo’s Drew Blair defends during the game between Redondo vs. Santa Margarita in the CIF-SS Division 3 boys volleyball championship game at Cerritos College on Saturday, May 11, 2024. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
Redondo’s Cash Essert, right, shoots on the Santa Margarita defense during the game between Redondo vs. Santa Margarita in the CIF-SS Division 3 boys volleyball championship game at Cerritos College on Saturday, May 11, 2024. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
Redondo’s Robert Bennett, right, had his shot rejected by Santa Margarita’s Fenton Regan, left, during the game between Redondo vs. Santa Margarita in the CIF-SS Division 3 boys volleyball championship game at Cerritos College on Saturday, May 11, 2024. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
Santa Margarita’s Blake Herman, left, shoots towards Redondo’s Luke Goldman, right, during the game between Redondo vs. Santa Margarita in the CIF-SS Division 3 boys volleyball championship game at Cerritos College on Saturday, May 11, 2024. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
The Redondo cheerleaders support their team during the game between Redondo vs. Santa Margarita in the CIF-SS Division 3 boys volleyball championship game at Cerritos College on Saturday, May 11, 2024. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
Santa Margarita’s Ethan Saint, left, spikes the ball into the defense of Redondo’s Vaughan Flaherty, center, and Cash Essert, right, during the game between Redondo vs. Santa Margarita in the CIF-SS Division 3 boys volleyball championship game at Cerritos College on Saturday, May 11, 2024. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
Redondo’s Farina Maschmeyer sets the ball during the game between Redondo vs. Santa Margarita in the CIF-SS Division 3 boys volleyball championship game at Cerritos College on Saturday, May 11, 2024. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
Santa Margarita swept all four of its playoff opponents on the way to winning the school’s fourth CIF-SS boys volleyball championship. The Eagles won Southern Section titles in 1997, ‘98 and 2001.
Santa Margarita (25-4) and Redondo (24-7) continue the season Tuesday in the CIF Southern California Regional playoffs. The regional brackets will be released Sunday.
Eagles coach Sinan Tanik’s evaluation was that the team played great volleyball but improvement is possible.
“This was really high up there,” Tanik said. “But I still think we can play better.”
Redondo, the No. 1 seed in the division, led 20-15 in the second set. The Eagles, who were the No. 3 seed, caught up at 24-24 on a Fenton Reagan kill and took a 25-24 lead on a Reagan kill. Saint finished it with one of his powerful kills for the 26-24 win.
The third set was tied 8-8 when Santa Margarita began to pull away for the 25-18 win.
“It’s been kind of a struggle in CIF for us,” Saint said. “So to make it all the way to the finals and then to play really clean and well in the last game felt really good.”
Tanik said the Eagles had the the correct emotional approach going into Saturday’s final.
“My strategy was to ease them down and calm them down,” he said. “ ‘Let’s go out and have fun and don’t think about tomorrow.’ Hey, coming here was a huge achievement to begin with. Just calm down and ride the wave.”
Saint said the team had everything required to do what the Eagles did Saturday.
“Our team chemistry has been great and our energy has been great,” Saint said. “Serving and passing’s been great. We all really want to win, we’re all super-competitive and we always fought really hard.”
