Harvard Outlasts Royal in 5 Games to Win Title : Prep volleyball: Second-seeded Saracens upend top-seeded Highlanders in long seesaw battle for 3-A championship.

Harvard High volleyball Coach Mark Zalin did his best impression of Kevin Hambly, Royal’s 6-foot-6 middle blocker, in practice last week to prepare the Saracens for the top-seeded Highlanders in the Southern Section 3-A Division championship match Saturday night.

There was a slight problem, however. Zalin stands only 5-10. But with a little ingenuity, Zalin grew to 8-10.

“I was standing on a table whacking balls away at them because we knew that was what he was going to be like,” Zalin said.

The Brigham Young-bound Hambly lived up to his billing, recording a match-high 37 kills, but Zalin’s creativity proved fruitful as second-seeded Harvard battled to a 17-15, 7-15, 15-1, 6-15, 15-7 victory at Cerritos College in Norwalk.

The grueling match took 2 hours 45 minutes.

It was the first title for Harvard (17-2), which had fallen in the 3-A final in 1989 and in the semifinals in 1988 and ’90. Royal, the two-time defending 2-A champion, finished 19-2.

“Royal is a great team, but we didn’t fear anybody,” Zalin said. “This is their first year at the 3-A and we’ve been here before. We played against great teams all year.

“I felt this was a lot like Holyfield-Tyson. Holyfield is the champ, but he’s never seen Tyson.”

The victory was especially gratifying for Harvard seniors Eric Wells, Andres Carlo, Adam Davirro and Brian Baise, who had played on the team since they were freshmen.

Wells, a 6-3 outside hitter who will play at Stanford, had 31 kills. Carlo and Davirro had 22 and 15 kills.

“We knew that we had the ability to win, but when we finally did it was the greatest feeling ever,” Carlo said.

Neither team had lost a game in its four playoff matches leading to the championship and Royal had not dropped a game in the playoffs the past three seasons.

“Harvard executed very well but we’ll be back,” Royal Coach Bob Ferguson said.

Harvard put the match out of reach early in the fifth game, racing to an 11-1 lead. Royal closed to 11-5 but could not overcome the early deficit.

“Toward the end they had three people blocking me,” Hambly said. “Every time we thought we were in control, they came back. (Wells, Carlo and Davirro) are great hitters. They’re definitely the best team we’ve played all year.”

Harvard weathered two game points and 16 kills by Hambly to win the first game. Harvard trailed, 14-12, but tied the score, 14-14, before going ahead, 15-14.

A net violation by Royal gave Harvard the game moments later.

“It was important to win that game,” Wells said. “We weren’t about to take them for granted.

“It showed who was boss and established our supremacy early.”

After Royal dominated the second game, Harvard responded by scoring 11 consecutive points to open the third game.

“Volleyball is always a strange game of momentum,” Zalin said. “When we’re playing to our potential, we’re the best team around. When we’re not, we’re just an average team.”

The pendulum swung back in Royal’s direction in the fourth game as the Highlanders ran off eight unanswered points to extend a 7-6 lead and force a fifth game.

Karl Weschta added 14 kills for Royal and Travis Ferguson had 72 setting assists. Mark Fiala and Aaron Kammerman each had 10 kills.