CITY VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS : Granada Hills Has No Trouble With Marshall

Granada Hills High overpowered Marshall, 15-1, 15-10, 15-5, in the quarterfinal round of the City 3-A playoffs at Granada Hills on Wednesday.

Marshall, in its first year of competition, provided little challenge for a Granada Hills team which was undefeated in the Mid-Valley League and is favored to win the 3-A Division.

“We played well, but not up to our potential,” said Highlander middle blocker Derek Hanson. “We play better with the better teams.”

The Highlanders proved that earlier this season when they swept 4-A playoff contenders Kennedy and Taft. Although they needed the victory over Marshall to advance, the earlier wins stand as landmarks. This season marks the first time there has been a 3-A Division.

“If we had lost to them but won the City 3-A, they would have said it was no big deal,” Granada Hills setter Mark Shalauta said.

With Shalauta handling the setting duties, and Hanson and John Lim patrolling the net at the middle blocking position, the Highlanders should contend for the title. The 6-4 1/2 Hanson led the Highlanders in Wednesday’s match, finishing with nine kills while Lim, Shaulata and Nicky Kim had five.

“Our big success has been that we’ve dominated the middle,” Highlander Coach Tom Harp said. “But, we’re only as good as we pass. In the second game, they had some servers that gave us problems.”

After overpowering the Barristers in the first game, Granada Hills fell behind, 7-6, in the second. Then Marshall made seven serving errors and dropped the game.

For the inexperienced Marshall team, being in the playoffs was the real victory.

“Maybe in a couple of years we’ll have a program like theirs,” said Marshall Coach Howard Klein. “I don’t think they looked down on us at all. I feel good that we’ve gotten as far as we have.”

Carson def. Taft, 15-9, 15-10, 15-11--In the City 4-A quarterfinal loss, the Toreadors’ Ken Lin finished with four solo blocks and five assists. Curtis Hein had 14 kills for Taft, which finished the season with a 9-5 record.

Chatsworth def. Roosevelt 15-6, 15-7, 15-10--Chatsworth won the City 4-A quarterfinal match behind the play of Ralph Tulino and Mark Root who each had 14 kills. Root added seven blocks.

Bell def. Canoga Park 13-15, 15-4, 15-10, 15-11--Canoga Park’s Alex Guerrero had 10 kills and three blocks in the City 3-A quarterfinal loss. Canoga Park finished the season 12-3 overall and placed second in the Mid-Valley League.