Nick Zeigler

Nick Ziegler likes to shock his teammates. With wild eyes, the 6-foot-5, 225-pound middle blocker howls with every spike or block he puts to the floor. The senior from Huntington Beach had his tongue pierced this season, but that wasn't enough. Before the playoffs began, Ziegler dyed his hair purple. "I needed something new to surprise my teammates," Ziegler said. "If they think I'm crazy, it either relaxes them or makes them just nervous enough to play their best."

Nick Ziegler likes to shock his teammates. With wild eyes, the 6-foot-5, 225-pound middle blocker howls with every spike or block he puts to the floor. The senior from Huntington Beach had his tongue pierced this season, but that wasn't enough. Before the playoffs began, Ziegler dyed his hair purple. "I needed something new to surprise my teammates," Ziegler said. "If they think I'm crazy, it either relaxes them or makes them just nervous enough to play their best."

Santa Ana won its third consecutive breakthrough match, defeating Marina, 11-15, 15-13, 15-6, 9-15, 15-13, in Sunset League boys' volleyball Wednesday at Santa Ana. The Saints had not beaten Marina since joining the Sunset League five seasons ago. Last week they beat Fountain Valley and Edison for the first time since being placed in the league. John Boyd had 30 kills, Carlos Bolanos had 25 and Victor Sanchez had 17 for Santa Ana (7-1, 4-1).

Trouble has found the Trouble Dolls. Bassist Mark Soden and lead guitarist Michael Bay left the band in December after it played its first tour, an eight-day West Coast trip. "If we could have had the commitment to stay together, we could have worked things out," said a disappointed John Surge, Trouble Dolls singer and songwriter. "Michael wants to go do his own things, write his own songs. With Mark, there was a personality conflict. For whatever reason, it wasn't harmonious any more.