Orange County Championships:

HUNTINGTON BEACH — The way Richard De St. Jean ended a tournament championship match seemed to be the same reason Newport Harbor High beat Orange Lutheran.

De St. Jean caught Orange Lutheran off guard with a quick dump to end the title match of the Orange County Boys’ Volleyball Championships Monday night at Edison. He helped Newport Harbor (11-4) to a 25-23, 28-26 victory and the tournament crown in the Gold Division. Sophomore Cody Caldwell, who had a match-high 14 kills, was named the tourney’s MVP and senior JB Green, who had five kills, earned all-tournament team honors.

Maurice Torres, Orange Lutheran’s 6-foot-7 outside hitter bound for Pepperdine, was also selected to the all-tournament team. But entering Monday’s match, he was thinking that he was going to be the MVP and the Lancers (15-2) were going to be the ones walking off the floor with the championship hardware.

“I think we kind of underestimated them a little bit,” said Torres, who had 13 kills and appeared to be the best player in the match. “But props to Newport Harbor, they’re a great team. Hopefully we look forward to playing them in the playoffs.”

Torres said part of the reason Orange Lutheran came in a bit overconfident was because of its win against San Clemente Saturday.

“We thought we might have an easy road,” he said.

The Sailors made it tough for the Lancers, who actually didn’t help themselves much either.

In the first game, Orange Lutheran committed eight hitting mistakes, five service errors and gave up another two points hitting into the net.

Newport Harbor, which entered the season ranked No. 5 in the CIF Southern Section Division I coaches’ poll, built a 10-5 lead, but the Lancers eventually got back in the game, and actually led, 22-21.

But after a De St. Jean kill and a block from Connor Curry and Will Connelly, the Sailors took a 23-22 lead. However, Newport Harbor was called for a net violation. That didn’t seem to matter much, as Orange Lutheran served out and then hit into the net to give the Sailors the game.