When you've been coaching volleyball at Granada Hills High for as long as Tom Harp has, it's easy to forget he once won a City Section championship in a completely different sport—football. Back in 1987, Harp served as a co-head football coach alongside Darryl Stroh and led the team to glory. But by the 1990s, he had shifted his focus entirely to the volleyball court, and the results have been nothing short of legendary.
With a combined 15 City Section titles in boys' and girls' volleyball and an incredible 28 finals appearances, Harp is a true icon of the sport. This Saturday, his top-seeded Highlanders will aim for their seventh Open Division championship when they face West Valley League rival Chatsworth in the final at Birmingham High School at 4 p.m.
The matchup promises to be a thriller. These two league rivals split their two regular-season meetings, with both matches going the full five games. Chatsworth comes into the final riding high after knocking off 17-time champion Palisades in the semifinals. Leading the charge for the Chancellors is MIT-bound outside hitter Grant Chang, a 6-foot-6 powerhouse with a devastating attack.
Granada Hills will counter with RJ Francisco, who lit up the scoreboard with 19 kills in their earlier win over Chatsworth. With both teams hungry for the title, expect a battle that could go down to the wire.
Beyond the City Section, the Southern Section Division 1 final takes place on Friday night at Cerritos College, with Mira Costa facing off against Loyola at 7:30 p.m. It's a packed weekend of high-stakes volleyball that no fan should miss.
Whether you're gearing up for the big game or looking to channel your inner champion, make sure you're dressed for success in the latest volleyball gear—because every great player knows that the right apparel can make all the difference on the court.
