Newport Harbor Rolls to Another 3-Game Victory

Newport Harbor doesn’t boast the most powerful or flashy boys’ volleyball team, but it still keeps winning with relative ease.

Using tough defense and a balanced attack, Newport Harbor won its fourth consecutive three-game match in the Southern Section playoffs, topping Esperanza, 15-12, 15-12, 15-13, in the Division I semifinals Wednesday at Corona del Mar High.

Al Limon had 18 kills and 11 digs and Billy Clayton had 14 kills and four blocks to lead third-seeded Newport Harbor (21-1) into Saturday’s final against fourth-seeded Corona del Mar at Cypress College.

“I’m just so excited getting back to the finals,” Newport Harbor Coach Dan Glenn said. The last time he led the Sailors to the finals was in 1991.

Esperanza (18-3), which upset second-seeded Los Angeles Loyola Friday, had its chances to upset Newport Harbor on Wednesday.

Dusty Russell (21 kills) and Phil Peterson (15 kills, six blocks) helped the Aztecs to 12-11 leads in the first two games. Esperanza also led in Game 3, 11-6 and 12-10. But Newport Harbor rallied each time.

“You have to play an almost perfect match to beat them,” Esperanza Coach Kurt Kersten said. “They’re the best defensive team I’ve seen this year. It can get frustrating playing against them, but we knew that’s what they do.”

Setter Ty Tramblie led Newport Harbor with a team-high 12 digs to go with 52 assists, four kills and four blocks.

“Yeah, you don’t want to hit it at Ty Tramblie,” Kersten said. “He digs everything.”

Tramblie’s serve also changed the momentum in the match. With Newport Harbor trailing, 12-11, in the first game, Tramblie jump served for two aces, and Eric Perrine’s kill gave the Sailors another point on Tramblie’s serve to make it 14-11. Then Adam Hearlson and Limon blocked Russell on game point.

Trailing, 12-11, in the second game, Tramblie served out the game, forcing some shaky passing that led to Esperanza’s two hitting errors and a passing error, then an overpass kill by Newport Harbor’s Matt Jameson (13 kills) closed out the game, 15-12.

Esperanza rebounded by taking an 11-6 lead in Game 3, but Newport Harbor recorded 15 sideouts in its next 16 chances. The 45-minute third game finally ended after Russell committed his 11th hitting error.

“They’re emotional and streaky,” Clayton said. “They can score points in bunches and sometimes you can’t stop that. But we knew we just had to hang with it.”