HIGH SCHOOL VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS : Granada Hills Puts Harp’s Rhapsody Into Action

A Knute Rockne-type pep talk, a career-performance from Mike Ripberger and the perfect time to end a losing streak.

It all added up to Granada Hills High’s 15-10, 15-11, 15-8 victory over Chatsworth in the City Section 4-A Division semifinals Tuesday at Chatsworth.

Simple math said the third-seeded Highlanders (14-2) were not the favorites. They lost twice to second-seeded Chatsworth (13-3) in the Northwest Valley Conference.

But all equations were tossed out the window as soon as the Granada Hills bus reached Chatsworth. Coach Tom Harp told his players that in 20 years, they would remember this match more than anything else.

“It was like one of those motivational speeches you see on TV,” said Granada Hills outside hitter Donald Puathasnanon, who had 17 kills, 21 assists and 16 digs.

Puathasnanon, who will play for UCLA next year, didn’t say much more.

“Two words: Mike Ripberger,” he said with a smile. “That’s all I have to say.”

Ripberger’s play spoke volumes. He had a career-best 17 kills--seven in the first game, five in the second and five in the third.

His performance negated offensive problems he had in each of the teams’ first two meetings.

And it rubbed out Chatsworth, which was trying to reach the final for the first time since 1990.

The Chancellors can blame their poor passing, which kept setter Mike Monge running around the court all night.

“There’s a real simple axiom in this game,” Chatsworth Coach Bud Dow said. “When you don’t pass, you don’t win.”

The Chancellors’ offense was off in other ways. Stephen Wiessner torched Granada Hills for 24 kills last month, but was held to nine kills Tuesday. He had eight errors.

Granada Hills jumped in front in all three games and, unlike the last meeting, it stayed ahead.

A 7-2 lead in the first game turned into a hard-fought victory after 53 sideouts.

Leads of 5-0 in the second game and 6-2 in the third were also parlayed into victories.

“I really thought from the first couple times we played them the opportunities were there,” Harp said.

Looking for any edge, the Highlanders even studied a tape of Chatsworth’s quarterfinal match against Westchester.

They found a weakness: “Angle shots toward the middle,” Ripberger said.

The Highlanders would be wise to study tapes of top-seeded University.

Granada Hills faces the Warriors in the final Friday at Occidental College, setting up an interesting rematch of sorts.

The Highlanders lost to University in the 1994 final.

“They’ve got the same guys playing now,” Harp said. “They’re one of the best teams in California, but we’re going to give it our best shot.”

Said Ripberger: “They have three players of Donald’s caliber. They can hit.”