Corona del Mar Strikes Again in Battle of the Bay Round 2 Against Newport Harbor (2025)

Newport Beach – Sea Kings Gymnasium

In front of a loud, competitive crowd and the kind of electric energy only the Battle of the Bay can bring, Corona del Mar came out on top in a four-set clash against rival Newport Harbor on Friday night. With set scores of 23-25, 25-18, 25-21, 25-22, the Sea Kings overcame a first-set stumble and stormed back to win three straight and claim bragging rights in this year’s Battle of the Bay round 2 matchup.

It was a gritty and emotional contest from the first serve, and Newport Harbor didn’t waste time making a statement. The Sailors edged out a close first set, led by a balanced attack from JP Wardy, who finished with a team-high 19 kills, and Henry Clemo, who added 13 kills of his own. Wyatt Nichols anchored the back row with 17 digs, while Charlie Von Der Ahe ran the offense with 45 assists. Despite falling behind after the first set, CdM didn’t flinch.

In the second set, the Sea Kings flipped the switch. Behind the setting of Drake Foley, who posted an impressive 46 assists and served at a 92.9% clip, CdM found its rhythm. Daniel Booker helped lead the charge at the net with 10 kills, while Hunter Hannemann added 12 more, showing his presence on both ends with 9 digs and 3 block assists. Benjamin Brown had one of his stronger performances of the season with 20 kills and 7 digs. Brogan Glenn was everywhere on defense, notching 13 digs, and Brady Gant contributed a key 9 digs in the back row.

CdM’s serve receive held strong throughout the night, especially with Hannemann and Brown each handling over 20 attempts. Meanwhile, the Sea Kings’ offense grew more efficient as the match wore on, highlighted by a .274 hitting percentage on the night and clutch side-outs late in both the third and fourth sets.

Newport Harbor fought to the final whistle, keeping the pressure on through tough rallies and long scrambles. Zachary DeMaio was solid at the net with 7 kills and 2 blocks, while JP Wardy’s high-volume attacking kept the Sailors in striking distance. But it was CdM who came through in the crucial moments, sealing the final two sets 25-21 and 54-22 to put the match away.

While Newport Harbor actually led in total digs (51) and assists (51 to CdM’s 50), the difference came down to hitting efficiency and limiting mistakes. CdM had fewer unforced errors and out-blocked the Sailors 2.5 to 1.5, with various contributions from Jack Robinson, Hannemann, and Booker at the net.

This win for the Sea Kings has a lot of weight, as they bounced back from a scrappy game against Huntington and playoffs draw near. Newport Harbor will need to recollect themselves for their upcoming league and non league games. With the Sunset League heating up, CdM’s resilience will prove critical as the playoff picture begins to take shape.