Orange County Prep Roundup : Granger Sets Section Strikeout Record

Most players would call it a milestone. Michele Granger called it just another day.

Granger, a 17-year-old junior at Valencia High School, fanned 17 of 22 batters, setting a Southern Section single-season record of 443 strikeouts. The old record was 427. She allowed only one hit as Valencia shut out Anaheim, 5-0, in its final Orange League game of the season.

“It was just another day,” Granger said. “(Seventeen strikeouts) is about normal for me.”

So is breaking records, it would seem. Earlier in the season, Granger tied the Southern Section record for career no-hitters with 24. She needs only four more career strikeouts to tie the Southern Section record of 1,124.

The Tigers, who were undefeated in the Orange League, begin CIF first-round tournament play next week.

In prep diving:

Dan Nash, Trabuco Hills’ All-America diver, captured first place in the 2-A Division Southern Section finals at the USC pool.

Nash’s totaled 485.20 points, almost 60 points better than his nearest challenger.

In prep volleyball playoffs:

Top-seeded Newport Harbor rolled over San Marcos, 15-4, 15-5, 15-2, in the first round of the 4-A Division Southern Section Volleyball Tournament at Newport Harbor. Hugh Foster led Newport Harbor with 14 kills and John Alstrom contributed 12. Drew Sheward had 40 assists in the match.

Newport Harbor advanced to Tuesday’s quarterfinals at 7:30.

In other action, third-seeded El Toro defeated Huntington Beach, 15-4, 9-15, 15-9, 15-6, to also advance to the quarterfinals.

“We had a tremendously balanced attack,” said El Toro coach Mike Jagd.

In prep badminton playoffs:

Hoang Ly won two doubles matches and a mixed doubles match to help Estancia edge Palm Springs, 10-9, in the 4-A division at Estancia.