After a slow start the Dos Pueblos High boys’ volleyball team overwhelmed visiting Laguna Beach to capture a 14-11 victory in the CIF-SS Division 1 Semifinals.
The second-seeded Chargers will now match up with top-seeded Mira Costa on Saturday for the CIF-SS Division 1 Championship at Mt. San Antonio College.
Dos Pueblos overcame an early 4-1 deficit, but late first quarter goals by Wyatt Warkentin and Ty Abel narrowed the gap to 4-3. Strong defensive play and timely scoring helped Dos Pueblos take a 6-4 lead on Warkentin’s second goal of the game with 2:16 remaining in the second quarter before Laguna Beach closed the first half with two goals to tie the game 6-6 at halftime.
Dos Pueblos took control in the third quarter through several defensive stops that created transition scoring opportunities. Channing Wigo scored twice, while Grant Nelson added another goal to give the Chargers a 9-6 advantage. Laguna Beach responded with two goals to make it 9-8 heading into the final quarter.
The teams continued trading goals in the fourth, but Dos Pueblos maintained its composure and pulled away late. Nelson scored three times in the closing minutes, including the final two goals, to secure the 14-11 victory.
Nelson led the Chargers with six goals, followed by Canning Wigo with four and Warkentin with three. Ty Abel contributed three assists, while Nelson and Wigo recorded two assists each. Goalie Koa Zertuche also played an important role with several key saves.
