SAN MARCOS — There are losing streaks, and then there are those that have a high likelihood of destroying a boys volleyball team’s chance of winning a title.
Eastlake High School went through such a streak early this season, reeling off 15 consecutive losses that all but buried the Titans.
But head coach Lindsey Guinto knew this team was special. And she knew she had Sean Fleming waiting in the wings.
The Concordia-Irvine commit had a match-high 29 kills, attacking from all over the court in a 25-23, 25-23, 22-25, 25-17 win over Canyon Crest Academy, completing the Titans’ unlikely run with a trophy in the CIF Division 1 championship held at Mission Hills High School on Friday.
“He’s the leader on the floor,” Guinto said. “His IQ is through the roof. He executes. He’s a go-to hitter. He’s a lot of fun to coach, and he’s a phenomenal player.”
Fleming had five kills out of the back row and added three stuff blocks, including a “kong block” in the second set.
“We had everyone getting kills,” Fleming said. “Everyone was being smart, being scrappy, playing great defense, blocking well. Our team battles. Our team grinds. We had a good game plan, and everyone on our team executed it very well.”
No. 1 seed CCA (22-14) lost about 75% of its offense to graduation from last year’s team that was the first boys volleyball team in section history to finish the regular season undefeated.
Opposite Vuong Nguyen returned from that team and was once again the focus of the offense. He led the way with 17 kills. Andrew Coward added nine kills and Matthew White had eight.
“This whole season we’ve been up and down,” Ravens coach Noly Mon said. “We are a team that could be top three in the Open (Division), or we can be a team that’s in the bottom of D3. It translated to tonight.”
Eastlakexe2x80x99s Alan Ebert hits the ball toward the net as Canyon Crest Academyxe2x80x99s Matthew White, left, and Odin Paterson try to block in the first set during the CIF Division I prep boys volleyball championship at Mission Hills High School in San Marcos on Friday, May 15, 2026. (Hayne Palmour IV / For The San Diego Union-Tribune)
The Ravens were playing a clean back-and-forth first set until errors started to creep in. Up 15-12, they had six errors in the next 10 points, giving the Titans a 19-18 lead. That’s when Fleming took over. He had six kills down the stretch, putting an exclamation on the set with a huge hit out of the pipe. Fleming finished with 13 kills in the set.
The Titans jumped out to a 19-13 lead in the second set before they encountered a string of errors themselves. The Ravens closed to 21-20 but two straight kills from Fleming and a big kill from junior Alan Ebert righted the ship.
The Titans appeared poised to close it out with a 20-15 lead in set No. 3 before CCA’s block came alive. Odin Paterson had back-to-back stuff blocks, then senior Lucas Felder and Coward combined on a stuff block for a 21-20 Ravens lead. Two plays later, sophomore libero Wilson Mueller made a diving dig of Fleming’s tip, which landed on Eastlake’s side for the kill. Vuong’s back-to-back kills — the second a set over to an empty right back on set point — closed it out.
CCA took a 9-6 lead in set four but a 7-0 run gave the Titans a lead they wouldn’t relinquish.