A Persistent Mental Image: Zepher Smith Soars Above the Net
LA JOLLA — A persistent mental image of 6-foot-3 Zepher Smith leaping at the net and seemingly disappearing into the stratosphere above sticks with volleyball fans. The La Jolla High School senior has, time and again, gone forward in beach volleyball matches to block his opponent’s hit at crucial moments.
The most critical of these moments came during the Vikings’ finals appearance on October 23 against the dominant Torrey Pines team, the eventual winner of the tournament. Smith and his partner, fellow senior Chase Ostrom, split their first two games against Cullen Gibson and Cruz Acers—a name so perfect, it almost sounds made up.
In the third and deciding game, the Viking pair went on a decisive run, taking the set 15-6. It was the only match the La Jolla side won that day.
“He can touch 11 feet from a standing position,” says La Jolla High School associate head coach Dave Jones, a long-time participant in the local volleyball scene, referring to the leaping Zepher, who always plays wearing a cap.
Smith is lanky and wiry. One action photo from La Jolla’s 5-0 win over Classical Academy in the semifinals captures his heavily developed shoulder muscles straining as he dives into the sand to dig a ball. Boys’ volleyball, still considered a club sport waiting for official sanction, continues to grow in the area.
Team Dynamics and Atmosphere at “The Pit”
Another notable feature of this fall’s march to the Division II finals has been junior Nate Dickinson’s running commentary of teammates’ moves. As he warms up alongside the courts at “The Pit,” La Jolla’s home away from home located in South Mission Beach opposite the Giant Dipper roller coaster in Belmont Park, Dickinson’s energetic observations add flavor to matches.
“Zepher with a block,” the diminutive Dickinson, who stands 5’5” and partners with Mercan Findikoglu on the Vikings’ fives pair, announces to no one in particular, drawing either chuckles or resigned tolerance from his teammates.
“Adam with a set from another world,” Nate intones about senior Grushkevich, a four-year indoor volleyball veteran who partners with classmate Sonny Wiczynski this season.
“We’ve been playing together since the third or fourth grade,” says Sonny. “He kept playing, and I took some time away, then we played together again. We went to the same elementary school, then Muirlands Middle School.”
This highlights the sheer veteran experience of the Vikings’ lineup—how long they have each been playing, and how that experience has paid off in their successful run this year. They’ve faced teams that are only in their second year of existence, like Madison, or squads slowly gaining their track record on the sand, such as La Jolla Country Day.
Looking Ahead: A Search for a Home Court
Among La Jolla’s present challenges is trying to find a home court closer to campus for both the boys’ and girls’ beach volleyball teams. Currently, players must make the long trek down to South Mission Beach for matches and practice.
“The option to talk with Muirlands’ administration seems more possible at this point,” said boys’ assistant coach Cantrell Schlecht on October 21.
Earlier in the season, Schlecht had mentioned that nearby Bishop’s School has purchased a church property near Kate Sessions Elementary School. La Jolla might consider discussing shared space with them or with Muirlands Middle School about playing on campus, especially since baseball already utilizes the diamond at Muirlands.
As the Vikings continue to grow and develop their beach volleyball program, securing a closer home court would be a significant step forward in supporting both the boys’ and girls’ teams.
https://timesofsandiego.com/sports/2025/11/03/la-jolla-boys-beach-volleyball-running-commentary/