Harbor High School's Ira Johnson attempted murder on Santa Cruz's Natalie Monroe during the SCCAL Beach Volleyball Tournament Championships on Friday at Main Beach. (Raul Ebio – Santa Cruz Sentinel)
SANTA CRUZ — Senior Gwen Grigsby and junior Ira Johnson have done it again.
Harbor High School stars defeated Santa Cruz's Summer Pederson and Natalie Monroe 21-14, 23-21 in the finals of the Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League Beach Volleyball Tournament on Friday at Main Beach. They defeated the team and won their third straight league title.
The Pirates' leading duo had an undefeated season and finished their careers with a 24-0 record on the sand.
“They made us play at a higher level,” Grigsby said. He plans to play beach volleyball next year at NCAA Division I team Cal State Bakersfield. “We couldn't just be lazy.”
Grigsby and Johnson said having fun is their top priority as they continue to warm up for the summer beach season.
“They're beach players,” Pirates coach Matt Schutz said of the No. 1 pair's dominance. “And now other guys are also indoor players who play on the beach. But they're pretty committed to being beach kids and playing in college at the beach level.”
Grigsby, a 5-foot-1 libero who earned MVP honors during the indoor season, and Johnson made it look easy despite the threat of playing a do-or-die third game in the finals. As Santa Cruz's infamous “Peace Bus” plied its daily snail-like pace along the piers and boardwalks, the Pirate duo blasted music from the vehicle's speakers.
As Bob Marley's “Three Little Birds” plays at the end of the second game, Grigsby sings along, followed by Pharrell Williams' “Happy,” followed by a pokey for the second consecutive game. ) and finished the tournament with 1 point.
The first game was deadlocked at 11-all between the finalists, but Harbor gradually pulled away after Johnson had a kill off a block and two aces. In the second game, Harbor jumped out to a 6-1 lead and made it to 11-7. Two batting errors and a service error allowed Santa Cruz to fight back and tie the score at 14-all. The teams traded the remaining points.
But the Pirates kept their cool and finished the game before nightfall.
“I’m proud of our team,” Johnson said. “We're a really good team. It's like a very individual sport, but even though it's individuals, we're still very much a team and we support each other. That's what we do. I think it’s what drives us through so many things.”
Monroe had some big blocks and kills in the final, and Pederson showed some deft touch to make some line winners.
“They were tough, which made us work better and harder,” Pederson said. “They're really smart overall, they know where to put the ball, when to put it where to put it, and they know our weaknesses. Our strategy is to just hit the ball as hard as we can.” They're really good at picking up shots. Some of them went well. It was definitely a good strategy to go all out.”
Harbour's Maren O'Farrell and teammate Sabine Kemos, who play indoor volleyball for Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, and Santa Cruz's Shelby Rardinovic and Ava Lord tied for third place.
It's been a good year for Grigsby, Johnson and their teammates. They also helped the Pirates win the SCCAL indoor title and the Central Coast Section Division IV championship in the fall.
“I think Harbor is sometimes underrated,” Johnson said. “I think having this league gives us confidence. I think it shows how much effort we put into volleyball, indoors and beach.”
Grigsby and Johnson finished the tournament with a 3-0 record. In the quarterfinals, they defeated Kyanna Harding and Lily Pederson, 21-11, 21-14, and in the semifinals, they defeated the Cardinals' Raldinovic and Lord, 21-9, 21-11.
Pederson and Monroe played together for the first time this season since the Cardinals' top player, Antonio Wilson, became ill.
“We've always wanted to play together, so I think we have a little bit of a connection,” Pederson said. “She and I became really close during the indoor season, and I think that helped a lot.”
Pederson and Monroe, who play indoors at Concordia University Irvine, won three straight matches to advance to the finals. They defeated Harbor's Grace Stryker and Tee Stockwell in a thrilling quarterfinal 21-13, 18-21, 15-9, followed by the Pirates' O's 19-21, 22-20, 16-14. He achieved another close victory. Farrell and Kemos in the semi-finals.
Pederson and Monroe were given a 15-minute break after their semifinal wins. They had plenty of motivation to end Grigsby and Johnson's reign in the final.
“My leg is a little sore right now, but energy-wise I feel good,” Pederson said after the final. “I'm sure you'll sleep well tonight.”