No shortage of competition in West Valley League this season

CIF Los Angeles City Section boys volleyball has reached the midway point of its season, and the West Valley League is at the center of the competition.

Granada Hills Charter, Chatsworth and El Camino Real are all tied for first place with six matches left in league play.

“Whoever comes out on top of the league this year has done a great job,” Granada Hills coach Tom Harp said. “This is as tight a situation as I can remember. Every match changes the scenario of who has a chance to win this.”

Twelve of Granada Hills’ 14 players are seniors. Their experience has been valuable and also adds depth. The Highlanders are undersized in most matches, but their battle-tested scrappiness makes up for it.

Outside hitters Andrew Nguyen and Nate Yu embody those characteristics.

“Andrew is like 5-foot-7 and Nate is 5-foot-10, so those aren’t big, huge outside hitters,” Harp said. “But they play smart and very good defensively, too. It’s been an interesting year so far.”

Chatsworth is the reigning City Section Open Division champion and recently returned from the Las Vegas Easter Invitational, where it won six matches in two days. The Chancellors are led by returning All-City Open Division players Justin Dickson, a 6-foot-4 middle blocker, and Nate Kim, a 5-foot-11 setter.

Granada Hills is the only West Valley League team to beat the Chancellors, who have seen highlevel competition this season in Mira Costa, Redondo, Royal, Newbury Park and Palisades.

Tonight will offer a competitive West Valley League match as Granada Hills goes up against El Camino Real, which is coming off a five-set loss to Chatsworth.

Six-foot outside hitter/setter Tyler Lee is the Royals’ only returning All-City player. The junior is part of a roster that has only five seniors this season.

Here’s a look at two other competitive leagues in the Daily News area: were named to the Crescenta Valley First Serve Tournament alltournament team after the Wildcats finished as runner-up in the event.

Valencia and West Ranch will square off in a rematch on Tuesday. The Vikings won the first match in four sets on March 7.

Saugus beat the Wildcats on Thursday in five sets to move into a tie for second place after falling to Valencia in five sets. The Centurions finished fourth in league last season. Landon Cookston, an All-Foothill League second-team player, returns as a captain for his senior year at middle blocker.

NOAH JAQUEZ

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