Newport sails into Monday’s finals

HUNTINGTON BEaCH -- Newport Harbor High’s Sailors swept to

victories over Marina and Edison in the quarterfinals and semifinals of

the Orange County Volleyball Championships Saturday at Edison High,

sending the Tars into Monday night’s championship showdown with

Northwood, at 7 p.m.

“Northwood, that’s the Irvine freshman team, short one player, which

was undefeated as freshmen three years ago,” said Newport Harbor boys

volleyball coach Dan Glenn, who found himself in a very good mood after

his Sailors came through at every turn on Saturday.

Winners in pool play twice on Friday, the Sailors were nevertheless in

the position of not even making the quarterfinals should they lose in two

to a very strong Santa Margarita club in the last pool play match

Saturday morning.

Harbor, behind the kills of Erik Peterson (10), Greg Perrine (nine),

Brian Gaeta (seven) and Jamie Diefenbach (seven) pulled out a 17-15, 15-9

win over Santa Margarita.

Marina was the first hurdle in the final eight, and after falling

behind, 8-1, the Sailors rallied to win, 17-15, 10-15, 15-11, the final set in rally scoring.

The key to the match came at the 1-8 juncture, and Glenn said “We kind

of got a bead on them and realized their style.

“My guys aren’t really too good at listening to my scouting reports

and they seem to have to witness it for themselves.”

Once the Sailors realized the style and situation, they were back in

the hunt.

Peterson had 17 kills, Perrine 17 kills, Gaeta eight kills and

Diefenbach seven kills.

In the semifinal after splitting the first two sets, 6-15, 15-11, the

host Chargers of Edison jumped to a 10-6 lead in the rally set before the

Sailors came back to claim a 15-13 verdict.

Perrine had 17 kills and his brother, Brett, had eight kills. Gaeta

had 10 kills and Peterson had seven kills.

On the other end of all that was setter Loyd Wright.

“Loyd just had a great day leading the way,” said Glenn.