Exchange Student Helps Laguna Beach Beat Newport Harbor

Vladimir Andric showed Friday that every inch of his 6-foot-8 body is not only filled with considerable talent and strength, but also with a will to win.

Andric, an exchange student from Zagreb, Croatia, had 47 kills to lead Laguna Beach to a 15-12, 13-15, 15-13, 5-15, 15-11 victory over Newport Harbor in the first round of the Southern Section Division I boys’ volleyball tournament.

“It is the best feeling you can have,” Andric said about his first U.S. high school playoff victory. “This is definitely one of the most exciting games [in my career].”

Andric, who played four years with the Croatian junior national teams and has signed a letter of intent to attend University of the Pacific, led the Artists back from the brink of elimination.

“That’s what good players do,” said Laguna Beach Coach James Felton. “When it’s late in the match they have to come up big and that’s what he did.”

Trailing, 6-1, in the fifth game, Laguna Beach was called for a rotation violation and lost its only point. Felton broke his clipboard because of the call, earning a red card and resulting in another point for Newport Harbor.

Andric scored with a block but two more Laguna Beach errors made the score 9-1 and Felton called a timeout.

After the brief rest, Andric responded with a kill for a sideout that sparked Laguna Beach on a 9-1 run to tie the score, 10-10.

Tied again, 11-11, Andric served an ace with one of his powerful jump serves and hit a cross-court kill after his next serve to bring the Artists within two points of victory. Newport Harbor gave up another point when Travis Nelson slipped under the net and injured his leg.

Nelson returned to the game, but only to watch Trevor Whalley serve an ace to win match point.

Andric’s 47 kills do not match his season-high of 51 in a five-game regular season victory over Capistrano Valley. Whalley added 16 kills for Laguna Beach (14-2).

For Newport Harbor (9-7), Wes Badorek had 16 kills, Matt Caldwell had 14 and Cameron Black had 13.

It was the third meeting between Laguna Beach and Newport Harbor this season. Newport Harbor won in pool play in the Orange County championship tournament and Laguna Beach won in five games during regular season.

“I knew it would be grinding. I knew Newport would be ready to play,” Felton said.

Newport Harbor finished in third place in the Sea View League and Laguna Beach won the Pacific Coast League.

In other Division I boys’ volleyball:

Huntington Beach 3, Palos Verdes Peninsula 0--Scott Cincotta had eight kills for host Huntington Beach (18-1), which won, 15-5, 15-5, 17-15.

Esperanza 3, Mission Viejo 0--Dan Harrington had 15 kills and Justin Dalton had 46 assists fo Esperanza (15-2), which won, 15-6, 15-2, 15-3.

San Clemente 3, Aliso Niguel 0--Chris Sebourn had 18 kills and Brandon Taliaferro had 12 for San Clemente (13-6), which won, 15-13, 15-8, 16-14. Greg Shagam had 12 kills for Aliso Niguel.

Capistrano Valley 3, University 0--Brad Leach and Chris Seiffert each had six kills in the 15-5, 15-2, 15-12 victory for second-seeded Capistrano Valley (16-1). Capistrano Valley will face Corona del Mar in the second round, with a coin flip determining the home site.

Corona del Mar 3, Redondo Beach Redondo Union 0--Brian Coleman had nine kills and five digs and Derek Newcomer had 26 assists and seven digs in the 15-1, 15-1, 15-4 victory for Corona del Mar (10-5).

Santa Margarita 3, South Torrance 0--Justin DeBlasio and Sean Redfern had eight kills each for Santa Margarita (17-2), which won its first-round match, 15-0, 15-5, 15-6.