HIGH SCHOOL VOLLEYBALL / SOUTHERN SECTION 3-A DIVISION CHAMPIONSHIP : Royal Rallies Twice to Outlast Esperanza in 5 Games

The Royal High boys’ volleyball team found the perfect ending to a perfect season Saturday night at Cerritos College, coming from behind for a 10-15, 15-13, 4-15, 15-11, 15-11 victory over Esperanza to win the Southern Section 3-A Division championship.

With visions of last year’s five-game loss to Harvard in the 3-A final dancing in their heads, the top-seeded Highlanders (22-0) dug from a deep well of emotion in the final two games to win the title after 2 1/2 hours of play.

“It was a matter of heart and pride,” said Royal outside hitter Brett Osterhoudt, who set a school record with 40 kills. “We just sucked it up in the last two games.”

Osterhoudt was not the only one to turn in a record-breaking performance. Middle blocker Kerry White set school standards for blocks in a match (14) and in a season (131) and helped limit Esperanza’s outstanding 6-foot-6 middle blocker, Paul Nihipali, to 15 kills. “I’ve been kind of quiet all season,” White said. “So I’ve been trying to play as loud and as hard as I can during the CIF playoffs.”

Third-seeded Esperanza (17-3) kept the Highlanders quiet for the better part of three games, breaking down Royal’s passing repeatedly to take a 2-1 lead. The Aztecs proved to be tough on the offensive end, sparked by outside hitters Brad Goldston and Ryan Delaney, with 27 and 22 kills.

But Royal slowed the Aztec attack with solid blocking and tenacious digging during the final two games and the Highlander hitters took control. Royal built an 8-1 lead in game four and then held off several Esperanza rushes--the last pulling the Aztecs to 12-11--before evening the match on a block by White, an overset kill by Osterhoudt and an Osterhoudt ace.

Esperanza scored the first two points of the final game before Royal spurted ahead. A dump off a back set and a block by Travis Ferguson gave the Highlanders a 10-4 lead and the Aztecs could not recover. A Steve Hodge ace made it 11-6 and a block by Ferguson and two blocks by White pushed it to 14-8.

The Aztecs staved off seven match points and cut the lead to 14-11 before a long hit by Esperanza middle blocker Chris Hillman finally gave Royal its title.

“Last year, I was crying because we lost and I felt complete dejection,” said Ferguson, who had 93 assists and 20 digs. “This year, I was crying out of joy.”

Royal Coach Bob Ferguson said this section title, Royal’s third in four years, was the most special to him because it was the most difficult to obtain.

“We had to dig down deep to beat Esperanza,” he said. “I’ve watched them play four other times and they never played this well. Esperanza played almost flawlessly.”