The Mira Costa boys volleyball team started this season’s long journey by winning the Varsity Classic, where Mustangs senior Victor Loiola earned MVP honors after defeating Huntington Beach in the final.

From there, Loiola and the Mustangs were off on their quest, competing against the best teams in the state and nation.

He earned MVP honors in the Karch Kiraly Tournament of Champions and at the Best of the West, both tournaments won by the Mustangs.

The Mustangs went undefeated in the Bay League and advanced to the CIF-Southern Section and CIF SoCal Regional finals, losing both times to Loyola.

The Mustangs were the No. 2 seed in the CIF-SS Division 1 playoffs. Heading into the playoffs, Loiola knew his team would be ready.

“This is a good start going into playoffs,” he said after completing the regular season with a win over Redondo. “This isn’t the main goal. We have a bigger thing to chase, a CIF ring. … I have a good feeling about it. We are ready for it.”

Mira Costa swept its pool play matches to advance to the finals.

Loiola, who is headed to Long Beach State and who earned first-team Daily Breeze All-Area honors as a sophomore and junior, was selected Bay League MVP and earned All-CIF honors in Division 1.

“He probably couldn’t have had a better year,” Mira Costa coach Greg Snyder said. “We pushed him to be a better leader. He’s always had the talent and he showed this season, throughout the regular season, tournaments and CIF that he could lead a team too.”

Loiola is vying to be a member of the U.S. men’s national U-21 team. The 12-man squad, which will be selected Saturday at the end of the current training camp, will compete in the NORCECA Men’s U-21 Continental Championship, which beings Sunday in Mexico.

He was a member of the U-19 team that won the NORCECA Pan American Cup and finished fourth at the FIVB World Championship.