Southern Section 4-A Volleyball Playoffs : Newport Harbor Stages Comeback

After two games, the result of the Southern Section 4-A quarterfinal boys’ volleyball match between Newport Harbor and Woodbridge high schools seemed all but decided. Woodbridge had won the first two in less than 40 minutes. It had won the second, 17-15, after trailing by 11-5 and 12-8.

Adam Keefe, Woodbridge’s exceptional middle blocker, was pounding away at the Newport Harbor defense with 14 kills. Newport Harbor wasn’t helping matters by making numerous errors, including six service mistakes in the first game.

But Newport Harbor came back in a remarkable 2 1/2-hour struggle to beat Woodbridge, 10-15, 15-17, 15-7, 15-11, 15-11, Tuesday at Woodbridge.

“This one should count for 10 wins,” said Dan Glenn, Newport Harbor coach. “I thought we had kissed this one away early.”

Glenn credited his five seniors with holding the team together. Setter Drew Sheward and middle blocker Mike Curci turned out to be the Super Glue. Sheward anchored an unflappable defense that didn’t exactly stop Keefe, but it managed to slow him down.

“Their defense was far superior to ours,” said Steve Stratos, Woodbridge coach. “Drew Sheward is the best setter in Orange County. He wouldn’t let that team quit.”

It was Tony Mertz’s block of a Keefe spike that gave Newport Harbor the victory in the fourth game. A part-time player, Mertz was exceptional at turning back Keefe, probably the county’s hardest hitter, blocking four of his spikes. Still, Keefe ended with 37 kills.

“I’ve probably called out Tony Mertz’s name in practice about doing something wrong more than any other player on the team,” Glenn said. “But he always seems to play great in the big matches. This was big.”

Newport Harbor (13-3) had leads of 7-4 and 10-6 in the fifth game, but Woodbridge rallied to within 11-8 on a kill by Jeff Smith (22 kills). Curci, who had 18 kills, got the serve back for Newport Harbor with a kill. He then had two more spikes for points to put his team up 13-8. Woodbridge came back on Keefe’s two kills to make it 13-10, but Pete Eastman blocked Keefe to make it 14-10. The match ended when Chris Lee deflected a spike off Woodbridge defenders.

Newport Harbor will play Marina, which upset No. 1-seeded Santa Monica, at 7:30 Thursday at Newport Harbor.

In other 4-A playoff action:

Marina 3, Santa Monica 1--Duane Cameron had 24 kills and 12 blocks and Ron Browning had 22 kills and 7 blocks, as host Marina upset No. 1-seeded Santa Monica, 15-11, 14-16, 15-12, 15-3, to advance into the semifinals. Setter Dave Buehring effectively ran the Vikings’ offense, finishing with 64 assists. Marina is 16-3. Santa Monica finishes 15-1.

Edison 3, Dana Hills 2--Edison rallied from a 2-1 deficit to defeat to host Dana Hills, 15-6, 11-15, 14-16, 15-6, 15-4.