Granada Hills Overcomes Bumpy Start to Ring Bell

GRANADA HILLS —  Playing with the urgency of a sunbather in Cancun, Granada Hills High was slow to get acquainted with its top seeding in the City Section 4-A Division boys’ volleyball playoffs.

Eventually playing up to expectations, the Highlanders arose and dispatched No. 16 Bell, 15-7, 15-0, 15-4, in the first round Wednesday at Granada Hills.

The Highlanders completed the sweep in 48 minutes and overcame a lackadaisical start, which included a shaky 10-6 lead in the first game.

Bell served short and initially disrupted the timing of the Highlanders’ offense, but Granada Hills (14-0) had too much talent.

Paul DiSimone delivered a kill and a block late in the first game and senior outside hitter Shawn Litchfield served his 28th ace of the season, breaking the school record previously held by Danny Govener (1989) and Greg Webb (1992).

The Eagles (3-10) were grounded.

“We stayed with them for a little bit and then that was the end of that,” Bell Coach Hugh Creamer said.

In the second game, Granada Hills won by shutout for the third time this season. Litchfield started it with three consecutive kills and Aaron Goldstein finished it with an ace.

“We wanted to prove to everybody that we can take it all the way,” said Litchfield, who finished with 11 kills. “With the No. 1 seed, we were kind of overwhelmed, making too many errors and stuff. We all kind of realized it could be our last [match].”

It wasn’t.

The season continues for the Northwest Valley Conference champions, who play host to San Pedro in the quarterfinals Friday.

“We’re hoping for the final,” Litchfield said. “I think we’re going to get there.”

DiSimone, a senior middle blocker, had four blocks and eight kills without an error. Chris Tran added eight kills, with three errors, for Granada Hills.

Bell, which starts four sophomores, finished with six kills--half of them coming in the first game--and 22 errors.