Royal to Meet Esperanza in 3-A Final in Its Quest for 3rd Title in 4 Seasons

Top-seeded Royal High will face budding power Esperanza today at 5 p.m. in the boys’ Southern Section 3-A Division volleyball final at Cerritos College.

Royal (21-0) is making its fourth consecutive trip to a section final. The Highlanders won 2-A titles in 1989 and ’90 and lost to Harvard-Westlake in five games in the 3-A final last year.

Esperanza (16-2) had not advanced past the quarterfinals before this season. But the third-seeded Aztecs earned a berth in the final by beating Harvard on Wednesday in four games.

All-Southern Section setter Chris Pitzak leads a versatile Aztec attack. Middle blocker Paul Nihipali and outside hitters Brad Goldstine and Ryan Delaney each had 18 kills against Harvard.

Balance also has been a strength of the Highlanders. Travis Ferguson, a two-time All-Southern Section setter, has plenty of targets to chose from in outside hitters Brett Osterhoudt, Steve Hodge and Steve Hambly and middle blockers Kerry White and Josh Penrod.