Cubs Comrades

Owen Loncar, Spencer Graves and Dillon Klein Lead Loyola to Regional Finals

By STEVE GALLUZZO | Sports Editor

Watching Dillon Klein float in the air for a kill is like seeing the game in slow motion. He seems to have an eternity to study the floor, read where a block is coming from, contort his body in the right direction and, in one fluid motion, pound the ball to the open area. Each swing is effortless, every move is calculated and almost always the end result is a point for the Loyola High volleyball team.

Klein’s multi-faceted skills were on full display last Tuesday night in the Cubs’ 25-20, 25-14, 25-23 sweep of Palisades in the first round of the Southern California Regional  Division I playoffs and afterwards he looked forward to hanging out with his buddies—several of whom  were wearing Dolphins jerseys.

“It’s always a lot of fun getting to play your friends and talk to them after,” said Klein, a senior who lives in the Via Bluffs, went to Corpus Christi and is headed for USC. “If I get a chance to go watch them play at the Pali gym, I do. We grew up and have played club together. Gus [Wibbelsman], Blake [Pecsok] and all of those guys. I was beyond happy when they won City last week. Having said that, I love playing at Loyola and being a Cub!”

Cubs coach Mike Boehle has seen a lot of talented players matriculate through his program over the last quarter century and he rates Klein right up there with the best of them.     

 “Dillon is truly one of a kind, he’s an amazing athlete and really sees the whole court,” Boehle said. “His vertical leap is incredible, he plays at 11 feet, which is good enough for college and he’s still getting better.He’s one of the best outside hitters I’ve ever had, no question, and he’s proven he can play at a high level.”

One of Klein’s closest friends is teammate and Via Bluffs neighbor Owen Loncar, who helped Palisades win the City title as a freshman outside hitter in 2019 and subsequently transferred to Loyola.

“It was a tough decision but I have nothing but love for those guys— no hard feelings,” Loncar said.

Loyola’s lineup includes junior Spencer Graves, who lives by Will Rogers Park and played with Palisades’ James Rockwell at St. Matthew’s. Ranked No. 1 in California for most of the season the Cubs lost to Newport Harbor in both the section finals and regional finals.