A talented squad of local players representing Santa Monica Beach Club won the AAU boys volleyball national championship earlier this month in Orlando, FL.
SMBC’s Shack 16 Molten team finishes the tournament 11-0 (winning 22 of 26 sets) and edged #951 Elite Boys 16-1 of Murrieta, CA in an epic final, 26-24, 26-28, 29-27 on July 3 at the Orange County Convention Center.
Coached by Ethan Marshall and assistants Bruno Gamboa and Margaret Wall, the roster consisted of Husam Arab, Alexander Bloom, Tristan Carpenter-Rihs, Johan Cortez, Hal Craig, Andrew Hom, Jackson Hubbard, Henry Levin, Parker Murphy, Zachary Patawaran, Sean Saunders, Sam Schwartz, Payton Song, Gunnar Strain and Parker Tooley.
Hom, a libero, was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player while outside hitters Levin and Saunderswere named to the All-American team.
Several players represent Palisades High and saw their school as well as their homes lost or damaged in the Palisades Fire.
“It brought everyone together,” Hom said. “We were able to bond and we all grew together as a team because of these fires despite all of the damage.Through this I’ve learned to trust my teammates, trust everyone around me. It was an awesome opportunity.”
On its way to the title match, Shack beat Torrimar 16-2 in three sets; Academy 16E Black in two sets; MVP Academy BOS 16 Black in two sets; Mamba 16-Purple in three sets; #951 Elite Boys 16-1in two sets; Atlanta Extreme 16 Gerald in two sets; Bay-to-Bay 16-National in two sets; Orlando Gold 16 in two sets; MOD B16 White in three sets; and RVA Boys 16B Navy in two sets.
“The third set’s only supposed to go to 15 and we went almost 30 points over [in the finals], which is insane,” said Schwartz, who is still displaced after his neighborhood burned down on January 7. “We just told each other we want it more. We can do it!”
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