Harvard, Royal Face a Fierce Court Battle in 3-A

It has taken longer than Bob Ferguson anticipated, but the Royal High boys’ volleyball coach believes that the Highlanders finally have been put in their place.

After winning two consecutive Southern Section Division 2-A titles, the fourth-year program has been elevated to the 3-A Division this spring.

But for Harvard, this might be the season for the Saracens to claim a Southern Section title after falling short of the 3-A championship the past three seasons.

Harvard, which has won 59 consecutive league matches dating to the 1986 season, lost in the title match in 1989 and advanced to the semifinals in 1988 and 1990.

Harvard (No. 1) and Royal are the top two ranked teams in the preseason 3-A poll.

“Our kids are already looking forward to playing Harvard in the playoffs,” Ferguson said. “Harvard is loaded.”

Although Harvard has lost middle blocker Rick Osterloh, now a freshman playing at Stanford, the nucleus of last year’s team returns. Brian Baise, Andres Carlo, Adam Davirro and Eric Wells are back for their fourth varsity seasons. The quartet has played together since the seventh grade at Harvard.

“It’s kind of the blessing of Harvard,” Harvard Coach Mark Zalin said. “It’s like my own little farm system. I was able to teach and coach them since junior high and they were able to step into the varsity as freshmen.”

Carlo, a 6-foot-4 middle blocker, was an All-Southern Section selection in his sophomore and junior seasons, and Davirro, a 6-1 left-handed outside hitter, was selected to the 3-A team last season.

Davirro was the U. S. Junior Olympic 16-and-under team’s most valuable player in 1989 and was chosen to the all-tournament team in the UC Santa Barbara/Dos Pueblos tournament last week.

“They’re hungry,” Zalin said. “We’re a year stronger and a year wiser. I’m real excited about this year and hoping everyone stays healthy.”

Harvard (3-1) has endured a rigorous preleague schedule, defeating Arcadia, ranked fourth in the Southern Section 4-A, and City Section power Chatsworth.

Royal, which has gone undefeated in league play for the past two seasons, was 20-0 last season. The Highlanders have won 43 of their past 45 matches, including 37 in a row before a loss to Santa Barbara in their opener.

“It’s going to be tougher at the 3-A level, but I like challenges and my kids like challenges,” Ferguson said. “Honestly, I’m surprised we weren’t moved up sooner. We won the 2-A twice convincingly and it was obvious we didn’t belong.”

Thus far, Royal (4-1) has proved capable at the 3-A level. The Highlanders won the Arcadia tournament Saturday for the first time, defeating the host Apaches in the title match, and are 2-0 in Marmonte League play.

An experienced lineup led by Kevin Hambly, a 6-7 senior middle blocker, returns. Hambly, the Arcadia tournament most valuable player and a first-team All-Southern Section selection, led the team last season with 240 kills and 94 blocks and hit at a 52% clip. He has attracted the attention of several NCAA Division I universities and has received an invitation to compete in the U. S. Olympic Festival this summer.

“He’s really played volleyball for only three years, but I think he is the prototype of what (NCAA) Division I schools are looking for,” Ferguson said.”

Senior Mark Fiala (6-4) and Ferguson’s son Travis (5-9), a junior, also are back. Both were second-team 2-A selections last season. Ferguson was the MVP of the L. A. Games this summer after leading the Highlanders to the tournament title.

Other area teams to watch:

SOUTHERN SECTION

Campbell Hall (Camino Real League)--The Vikings have won or shared the league title two years in a row. Campbell Hall (2-1), ranked seventh in the 2-A poll, advanced to the 2-A quarterfinals last season.

However, only one starter--6-2 junior Lee Sprague--returns from last year’s 19-4 team.

Canyon (Golden League)--Royal defeated Canyon in the 2-A championship and handed the Cowboys (16-2) their only losses last season. As with Royal, Canyon, the three-time defending league champion, has been elevated to the 3-A Division this season.

Canyon has gone undefeated in league play for the past two seasons and Coach Ardyce Masters believes the Cowboys, ranked sixth in the 3-A, also can accomplish the feat this season. “We’re just as good as last year,” she said. “We have a lot of talent and the skill to do it.”

Part of Masters’ optimism stems from the return of setter Eli Contreras, a first-team 2-A selection and the league MVP as a junior. Senior Troy Aldrich (6-2), another all-league choice, led Canyon with 150 kills last season. Other returnees include senior Kevin Sathre (6-2) and junior Rob Trilk (6-2).

Crespi (Mission League)--The Celts will move down from the 4-A to the 3-A this season after finishing at 9-4 and in second place in the now-defunct Del Rey League.

Crespi is led by senior outside hitter Frank Romano (6-4), an all-league selection last season, and senior setter Jeff Schuberg (6-0).

Glendale (Pacific League)--The Dynamiters (8-10, 4-4) finished third in league play last season but defeated Harvard in their opener and are 5-1.

Jason Parkin (6-1), an all-league selection at middle blocker as a junior, will move to right-side hitter. However, Glendale, which plays in the 4-A Division, will be solid in the middle with senior Jason Harper (6-6), who also earned all-league honors last season.

Junior setter Hieu Dao (5-11) and outside hitters Robert Young, a 6-1 senior, and Nathan Callister a 6-0 junior, are returning starters.

Notre Dame (Mission League)--Last season, the Knights (11-7) earned their first playoff berth, placing third in the San Fernando League. Notre Dame lost in the first round of the 3-A playoffs in five games to San Gabriel, and Coach Jim Hall is confident that the Knights can make it back to the playoffs.

Senior outside hitter Steve Card (6-0) and sophomore middle blocker Tom Stillwell (6-7) return for Notre Dame. Juniors Morgan Hay (6-0) and Tim Lennon (6-2), promoted from a junior varsity that was 18-2 last season, have demonstrated early-season promise.

“All these players have been in the program since they were freshmen,” Hall said. “We are starting to get kids who have played club volleyball in the eighth grade instead of sophomores and juniors who have never played before.

“This is the best team we have ever had here.”

Palmdale (Golden League)--Palmdale, which placed fourth in the league in its inaugural season last year, is ranked 10th in the 3-A.

“Our players have the skill but have not played together,” Coach Cheryl Vanos said.

Brothers Dario (6-0) and Fernando (6-0) Maurizio are the only returnees. Dario is a junior, Fernando a senior. Senior Jason Grimes (6-7), a Times All-Valley second-team selection in basketball, is competing in his first season of volleyball.

CITY SECTION

Chatsworth (Northwest Valley Conference)--The Chancellors have made eight consecutive appearances in the 4-A final from 1983-90, winning City titles in 1984 and ’89. They also won in 1981. Chatsworth, which finished 15-2 last year, advanced to the final last year against Taft under first-year Coach Steve West despite no returning starters.

Chatsworth (2-3) has two returning starters this season--Gene Urcan, a 6-5 senior middle blocker, and Dan Choi, a 6-1 senior setter, and a contingent of experienced newcomers from the junior varsity.

Granada Hills (Northwest Valley Conference)--Senior outside hitter Danny Asaoka (6-0), a third-team All-City selection, and senior setter Josh Henderson (5-10) return from a team that finished 11-4 last season and lost to Palisades in five games in the second round of the 4-A playoffs last year. Granada Hills is 5-0 this season.

Senior middle blocker Ralph Courtney (6-2) and junior outside hitter Bobby Curtis (6-2) are key newcomers.

Taft (Northwest Valley Conference)--The Toreadors (16-1) defeated Chatsworth for the first time in five years in the 4-A final last season, but 10 players have graduated.

Junior Casey Sheahan (6-1), sophomore Daniel Kim (6-0), senior Aubrey Miller (6-0) and Liam Ziadel (6-3) return. However, Ziadel sustained a sprained ankle in the UC Santa Barbara/Dos Pueblos tournament last Saturday and is expected to be out for at least four weeks.

Taft started 1-3 but has improved to 3-3 after Coach Doug Magorien rearranged the lineup.