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    El Dorado can’t overcome Hart’s advantages in boys volleyball Division 4 final
    • May 14, 2023

    NORWALK – El Dorado could not match its opponent’s size and power at the net Saturday when it took on Hart of Newhall in the CIF Southern Section Division 4 boys volleyball championship at Cerritos College.

    Hart swept El Dorado in three sets, 25-19, 25-21, 25-19, as its outside hitters, 6-foot-7 senior Owen Douphner and 6-6 senior Hank Kaufman, were difference makers.

    Oliver Toth, left, of El Dorado High School consoles teammate Dillon Overbeck after losing to Hart High School in the CIF-SS Division 4 boys volleyball final at Cerritos College in Norwalk on Saturday, May 13, 2023. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

    Team members of El Dorado High School stand with their Runner-Up plaque after losing to Hart High School in the CIF-SS Division 4 boys volleyball final at Cerritos College in Norwalk on Saturday, May 13, 2023. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

    Owen Douphner of Hart High School goes up to block a shot by Keaton Raymond of El Dorado High School during the CIF-SS Division 4 boys volleyball final at Cerritos College in Norwalk on Saturday, May 13, 2023. Hart won the match. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

    Owen Douphner, left, of Hart High School hits the ball over the hands of Dillon Chaffin, center, and Adam Cralley, right, of El Dorado High School during the CIF-SS Division 4 boys volleyball final at Cerritos College in Norwalk on Saturday, May 13, 2023. Hart won the match. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

    As teammate Dillon Overbeck, left, looks on, Keaton Raymond, right, of El Dorado High School sets the ball during a serve from Hart High School during the CIF-SS Division 4 boys volleyball final at Cerritos College in Norwalk on Saturday, May 13, 2023. Hart won the match. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

    Keaton Raymond of El Dorado High School hits the ball past Tanner Andrew of Hart High School during the CIF-SS Division 4 boys volleyball final at Cerritos College in Norwalk on Saturday, May 13, 2023. Hart won the match. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

    Fans from El Dorado High School cheer during the CIF-SS Division 4 boys volleyball final against Hart High School at Cerritos College in Norwalk on Saturday, May 13, 2023. Hart won the match. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

    Ryan Chia, left, and Kaiden Gerard of El Dorado High School attempt to block a shot by Hart High School during the CIF-SS Division 4 boys volleyball final at Cerritos College in Norwalk on Saturday, May 13, 2023. Hart won the match. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

    Oliver Toth of El Dorado High School sets the ball after a serve by Hart High School during the CIF-SS Division 4 boys volleyball final at Cerritos College in Norwalk on Saturday, May 13, 2023. Hart won the match. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

    Team members of Hart High School celebrate after beating El Dorado High School in the CIF-SS Division 4 boys volleyball final at Cerritos College in Norwalk on Saturday, May 13, 2023. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

    Fans from Hart High School cheer during the CIF-SS Division 4 boys volleyball final against El Dorado High School at Cerritos College in Norwalk on Saturday, May 13, 2023. Hart won the match. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

    Max Smith, right, of El Dorado High School attempts to get the ball past Hank Kaufman of Hart High School during the CIF-SS Division 4 boys volleyball final at Cerritos College in Norwalk on Saturday, May 13, 2023. Hart won the match. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

    Owen Douphner, center, holds the championship plaque as his teammates from Hart High School look on after beating El Dorado High School in the CIF-SS Division 4 boys volleyball final at Cerritos College in Norwalk on Saturday, May 13, 2023. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

    Owen Douphner, center, of Hart High School hits the ball past Adam Cralley, left, and Ryan Chia, right, of El Dorado High School during the CIF-SS Division 4 boys volleyball final at Cerritos College in Norwalk on Saturday, May 13, 2023. Hart won the match. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

    Owen Douphner of Hart High School hits the ball past the arms of Max Smith, left, Kaiden Gerard, center and Ryan Chia, right, of El Dorado High School during the CIF-SS Division 4 boys volleyball final at Cerritos College in Norwalk on Saturday, May 13, 2023. Hart won the match. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

    Team members of Hart High School celebrate after beating El Dorado High School in the CIF-SS Division 4 boys volleyball final at Cerritos College in Norwalk on Saturday, May 13, 2023. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

    Isaac Kim, right, of Hart High School hugs a teammate after beating El Dorado High School in the CIF-SS Division 4 boys volleyball final at Cerritos College in Norwalk on Saturday, May 13, 2023. Hart won the match. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

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    Douphner had a match-high 28 kills on 41 attempts and Kaufman had 13 kills.

    El Dorado and Hart were in a CIF-SS boys volleyball final for the first time.

    The Golden Hawks fell behind early in the first set. It quickly was a 4-0 Hart lead.

    “We had a lot of nerves at the beginning,” said El Dorado coach Britney Brown. “It’s the first time ever in the history of our program to get here. They (the players) were a little excited.”

    Hart built its first-set lead to 19-7. El Dorado settled down, with middle blocker Kaiden Gerard and outside hitter Max Smith leading the charge. The Golden Hawks couldn’t stop Douphner and Kaufman from drilling spikes, though, and Hart took the first set 25-19.

    El Dorado twice had one-point leads in the second set and it was 17-17 later. Douphner again kept pounding kills including the set-winner as Hart won 25-21.

    El Dorado kept battling in the third set, too, grabbing a 9-8 lead and later rallying to tie it 18-18, but could not reclaim the lead in a 25-22 match-ending loss.

    It’s Owen Douphner again with the set-winner for Hart in a 25-21 victory. Hart leads El Dorado 2-0. pic.twitter.com/2gG4Wfz8sU

    — Steve Fryer (@SteveFryer) May 13, 2023

    The season continues for the Golden Hawks (19-15) and Hart (32-5) next week in the CIF Southern California Regional. The brackets for all four divisions will be announced Sunday.

    El Dorado was led by Smith’s 11 kills. Gerard and Golden Hawks outside hitter Keaton Raymond had six kills each. Senior libero Oliver Toth had a team-high 14 digs.

    Smith, Raymond and Gerard are juniors, as is setter Ryan Chia, which gives Brown optimism that the 2024 season could be as good as this season, or better.

    “This is a team full of juniors,” said Brown, in her fifth year in charge of the team. “We’re coming back next year.”

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    ​ Orange County Register 

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