Granada Hills Conceding Nothing to Rival Kennedy

GRANADA HILLS — They basked in the doting preseason press clippings, soaked up the praise from rival coaches and started the season 3-0.

Then, members of the Kennedy High boys’ volleyball team ran into Granada Hills.

A relative newcomer to the chase for the Northwest Valley Conference title, Kennedy saw a sign that any newfangled trail to the top goes through the two-time defending conference champion Highlanders.

It read: 16-14, 15-8, 15-11 for Granada Hills.

Welcome to conference play.

“Everybody was saying they were all good and everything,” said Earnest Yun, who had 11 kills and nine blocks for the Highlanders (3-1, 1-0). “I thought they were overrated.”

On Tuesday, the Golden Cougars (3-1, 0-1) were overmatched. Their focus was missing, their passing erratic and their hitting punchless.

Other than that, they played a good match.

“Next time, we’ll be ready to start better,” said Coach Mike Stanton, whose Golden Cougars fell behind by seven points in each of the first two games and rallied to lead or tie, only to lose.

The first game was especially devastating for Kennedy, which turned a 9-2 deficit into a 14-10 lead but lost when Yun answered with two blocks and two kills during a 6-0 run.

The second game had a similar theme, Granada Hills streaking to an 8-1 lead, getting caught at 8-8, and then ripping off seven points, three on kills by Chad Hess--who finished with 12.

Ryan Kamins added 12 kills for Granada Hills, which rebounded from a nonconference sweep at the hands of Venice last week. The Highlanders, who lost the City Section 4-A final last year, are right where they wanted to be.

“Both teams know the driver’s seat for the league championship was this game,” Coach Tom Harp said.

Mike Whitmore, a transfer from Granada Hills, had eight kills and seven blocks for Kennedy.