Huntington Beach-Born in the royalty of Beach Volley-Ball, Hagen Smith could finally be ready to take the throne.
Smith and his partner Logan Webber spend one of their best weekends since he joined forces three years ago, reaching Huntington Beach semi-finals from the AVP Tour with a pair of three sets arguing on Saturday.
The 12th seeded pair will take miles with a seeded and Andy Benesh seeds in the first semi-final at 10 a.m. on Sunday.
Smith is the son of Sinjin Smith, widely considered as one of the greatest players in Beach Volley in the history of sport. Smith was the first to win 100 volleyball events before ending his career with 139 titles.
Hagen Smith, who had 30 years last month, has participated in the AVP tour since 2017, but has not yet reached a final of a major event.
“We want to win this,” said Smith. “We are trying to establish ourselves as one of the dogs.”
Smith showed the type of intensity and emotion which was a trademark in the style of his father.
At one point during the match in the quarter -final, Smith snatched his tank top after a successful point, drawing a roar of the crowd.
“I tested it and I heard the little rip and I just went to do it,” said Smith. “You should know if it’s a good time to tear a jersey or not because sometimes it’s not going well and then you look like an idiot.”
Looking beyond one of the ends of the shadow of the pier was Sinjin.
“I was not strong enough to do it,” said Sinjin about shirt tears. “It is good. He knows how to play the crowd, which is important, I think, for all sports. You want people to connect with the athletes. It makes them want to go out and watch and delight.”
Hagen Smith and Webber took the fifth seeded from Tim Bomgren and Paul Lotman in the first round and lost the first 20-22 set before winning the two 21-18, 15-11.
The duo then faced the Brazilian pair of the 13th seeded Alison and Alvaro Filho, who had spilled Chaim Schalk and James Shaw, the fourth seeded, and Smith and Webber advanced with a victory of 22-20, 20-22, 15-13.
“It’s really difficult to look at because it’s scary for me. I know what he is capable of,” said Sinjin, who was 68 years old on Wednesday. “When it does well, it is not much better. It makes you want to cry as a parent. You feel so well for him. ”
Hagen Smith grew up in the Pacific Palisades and was a two -year letter as a setter and outdoor striker for the boys’ volleyball team at Loyola High.
He then followed his father’s footsteps and continued to play four seasons of interior volleyball at the UCLA, ending his fourth career in the history of the program in assists and sixth in excavations.
Smith experienced a series of partners during his first years on the AVP tour before settling on Webber, a native of Michigan who is 6-9.
“Apart from the two Olympic teams, we are the oldest male partnership right now,” said Webber. “We always find new things to work on, so it’s fun. We are very comfortable with each other. ”
Sinjin Smith had difficulties at the start of his career until it was with Karch Kiraly, then another future renown temple, Randy Stoklos.
“I think he and Logan are a good team,” said Sinjin. “You have to play with the right person who completes your style of play.”
The second seeded Chase Budinger and Miles Evans, the other 2024 Olympic team on the field with Partain and Benesh, will face Taylor Crabb and Billy Allen, third seeded, in the other semi-final at 11 a.m.
The four best seeded teams from the female draw also reached the semi-finals.
Kristen Nuss and Taryn Brasher, head, will face Kelly Cheng and Molly Shaw, the fourth seeded, during the first female semi-final at noon, and Terese Cannon, second seeded, will take the cartridges of the third head of Wilkerson and Melissa Humana-Paredes in the second semi-final at 1 a.m.
Cheng is a former star of El Dorado High and the USC who teamed up with Sara Hughes at the 2024 Olympic Games, but Hughes is sidelined with a calf injury.
Cannon played for the USC volleyball women’s team from 2016 to 199 and Kraft from 2021-24.
Originally published:
California Daily Newspapers
