Granada Hills: Better but Not Best

Well, they weren’t skunked.

Truth be told, members of the Granada Hills High boys’ volleyball team did more than expected against University in the City Section 4-A Division final Friday at Occidental College.

The outcome, a University victory, wasn’t a surprise, but the scores were: 15-1, 15-10, 6-15, 15-11.

Slightly different from a one-game playoff in the Dos Pueblos tournament final in March. University won that one, 15-0.

The third-seeded Highlanders (14-3) tried to thwart a three-peat for the Warriors, who have won four titles in the 1990s.

Top-seeded University (16-1) was hampered by injury and irresponsibility. Setter Raoul Williams, who will play for Cal State Northridge in the fall, limped around on a sprained right ankle suffered in the semifinals against San Pedro.

And three starters were benched for the first game because they missed practice this week, although it didn’t show. Granada Hills had only six sideouts in the one-sided game.

“We were a little shook up,” Highlander Coach Tom Harp said.

The Warriors were the shaky ones in the second game, as Granada Hills racked up points by serving short. Mike Ripberger served six consecutive points--one of them an ace that fell in front of two Warriors--as the Highlanders jumped to an 8-1 lead.

University’s power was too much, however. The Warriors tied the game at 9-9 and then prevailed as Mark Williams, Raoul’s brother, knocked down four of his match-high 26 kills in the later stages.

“We could have won that game,” said Highlander setter/outside hitter Donald Puathasnanon, who had 20 kills and 19 assists. “We should still be in Game 5 right now.”

In the third game, Granada Hills capitalized on 4-0 and 10-5 advantages.

In the fourth game, Puathasnanon, who will play for UCLA, had six kills and kept things close despite a frightful collision with the post at the side of the net.

“This was my dream, coming to a City championship and winning one,” Puathasnanon said through tears.

“If we could have upset Uni, it would have been the biggest day of my life.”