Sidelined Lily Eaves cheers Granada Hills teammates to volleyball title
Highlanders take City girls’ volleyball championship
Lily Eaves had her surgically repaired left leg wrapped as she sat in the first row of bleachers at Roybal High on Saturday night.
The Granada Hills senior suffered a broken leg in the City Section Open Division girls’ volleyball semifinals. She had every reason to feel down knowing she wouldn’t be able to help her teammates in the final against Palisades.
“Honestly, I’m so proud of my team,” she said. “I’m so happy to be here. I have so much love for them.”
Each Granada Hills player wrote No. 11 on their arm to honor Eaves and perhaps gain a little inspiration. The Highlanders and Dolphins fought it out to the fifth set before Granada Hills prevailed 25-19, 7-25, 25-22, 16-25, 15-13. Then the entire team ran to the bleachers to celebrate with Eaves.
Carissa Bradford of Granada Hills was magnificent throughout the match with 18 kills trying to counter Palisades’ Alex Laita. Both are juniors.
Granada Hills won its sixth City title under coach Tom Harp. Palisades was trying to win its 30th.
In Division I, Chatsworth defeated Sylmar 25-22, 25-19, 25-15.
Big night for Marquis Spiker
The new state record holder for most touchdowns in a career by a receiver is Marquis Spiker of Murrieta Valley.
He has caught 70 touchdown passes after catching four Friday night in Murrieta Valley’s 59-56 Division 1 playoff victory over Santa Margarita. He made 13 receptions for 284 yards. Hank Bachmeier passed for 455 yards and ran for three touchdowns.
Friday’s Division 1 quarterfinal matchups
Santa Ana Mater Dei vs. Long Beach Poly at Veterans Stadium; Mission Viejo vs. Orange Lutheran; St. John Bosco at Rancho Cucamonga; Corona Centennial at Murrieta Valley.
Sack master
C.J. McMullen had seven sacks in Newhall Hart’s 21-7 Division 3 playoff victory over Chatsworth Sierra Canyon.
Hart was part of a sweep by Foothill League teams. Valencia, Saugus, Canyon Country Canyon and Santa Clarita Golden Valley also won playoff openers.
End of an era
Six consecutive years of Robinson brothers starting at quarterback for San Juan Capistrano JSerra have come to an end. First there was Nick, now the quarterback at Pennsylvania. He was followed by Matt, whose three-year run ended after the team’s 60-44 playoff loss to Long Beach Poly.
Another record for Claudia Lane
The best female cross-country runner in America is junior Claudia Lane of Malibu. At Saturday’s Southern Section Division 4 prelims in Riverside, she ran a course record time of 15:50. The finals are Saturday.
Twitter: @latsondheimer
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