Tars defend title in Hawaii

Barry Faulkner

HONOLULU, Hawaii - The Newport Harbor High girls volleyball team

defeated former Sea View League rival Santa Margarita, 10-7, 14-8, in the

championship match Saturday to defend its crown at the 17th annual Iolani

Invitational.

The Sailors, with All-CIF senior outside hitter April Ross sharing

setting duties with sophomore Katie King, rolled through their pool and

knocked Santa Margarita into the loser’s bracket with an 11-6, 15-11

triumph in the winner’s bracket final.

Coach Dan Glenn’s defending CIF Southern Section Division I-AA and

State Division I champion became the first school in tournament history

to win back-to-back titles.

Glenn said he used his entire roster in the eight matches, in which

games were limited to 20 minutes. In addition to Ross, who hit when she

was in the front row, Glenn praised the play of King, Krista Dill,

Heather Cullen, Erin Haller, Andrea Schutz and Taylor Govaars.

There was no all-tournament team and no tournament MVP was chosen. But

the 6-foot-1 Ross, who has narrowed her recruiting choices to Hawaii,

UCLA, USC, Washington and Texas A&M;, displayed new versatility for Hawaii

Coach Dave Shoji, who was in attendance.

Glenn said the Tars also watched Shoji’s Rainbow Wahini squad, for

which 1999 Newport Harbor graduate Jennifer Carey has assumed the

starting setter role, scrimmage. The Sailors also took a tour of the UH

facilities.

The Sailors, who adjusted their dead period to include the tournament

in their summer schedule, are scheduled to return to Orange County today

and will take a week off, before beginning practice for the upcoming

season Monday.

TOURNAMENT RESULTS

POOL PLAY

Newport Harbor def. King Kekaulike (Hawaii), 15-5, 15-10.

Newport Harbor def. Maryknoll (Hawaii), 15-8, 14-8.

Newport Harbor def. Roosevelt (Hawaii), 15-2, 15-8.

Newport Harbor def. Buena (California), 15-5, 15-7.

WINNER’s BRACKET

QUARTERFINALS Newport Harbor def. Pearl City (Hawaii), 15-1, 15-4.

SEMIFINALS

Newport Harbor def. Hilo (Hawaii), 15-11, 15-5.

FINAL

Newport Harbor def. Santa Margarita, 11-6, 15-11.

CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL

Newport Harbor def. Santa Margarita, 10-7, 14-8.