Boys volleyball: Tars, Knights battle for title

HUNTINGTON BEACH - Proving tournament time can be unpredictable,

Newport Harbor High and Foothill, both second in their pools, emerged out

of their respective brackets Saturday to earn a berth in tonight’s 7

o’clock Orange County Championships Division I title match at Edison

High.

Newport, after falling to Santa Margarita in pool play, defeated Mater

Dei and Marina in three games to earn its third title-match appearance in

four years. The Sailors lost to Corona del Mar and Santa Margarita in

recent title showdowns. They last won the tournament in 1992, defeating

Edison.

Foothill lost to Mater Dei in its pool, but beat Santa Margarita in

the quarterfinals, then Irvine in the semifinals.

Newport is led by senior Blake Tippett, while Foothill is keyed by

setter Ryan Burgess.