Santa Barbara’s Ford Harman Captures State Beach Volleyball U18 Title

Ford Harman, a junior at Santa Barbara High, won the CBVA Cal Cup Under-18 title with partner Kai Rodriguez of Hawaii. (Courtesy photo)

Santa Barbara’s Ford Harman capped a big summer of beach volleyball competition by winning the Cal Cup Under-18 Championship at Santa Monica’s Ocean Park on Sunday.

Harman, a junior at Santa Barbara High, partnered with Kai Rodriguez of Moanalua High of Honolulu, Hawaii and defeated Riley Norman (Redondo Beach/UC Santa Cruz) and Tread Rosenthal (Manhattan Beach/University of Hawaii) for the California Beach Volleyball Association’s state championship.

The field was made up of some of the best U18 players in the country, all of whom are being recruited by college programs. The competitors included Riley Haine (USC), Jason Walmer (Mira Costa High), Thomas Hurst (USA Volleyball U19 Beach Team) and Caleb Blanchette (USA Volleyball U19).

Prior to winning the Cal Cup title, Harman finished second in the local Lime & Coconut Mixed Doubles Tournament at East Beach. He and partner Leah Russell lost in the final against AVP pro and U.S. Olympian Taylor Crabb and local Sarah McKinny, a former Dos Pueblos High star.

Harman, second from right, took second place at the coed Lime & Coconut Tournament at East Beach with partner Leah Russell, right. They were beaten by AVP pro Taylor Crabb, left, and Sarah McKinny. The event was hosted by Melissa Costello, center. (Ken Delgado photo)

The Lime & Coconut drew 80 players. The tournament has been held for more than 20 years.

Last Sunday, Crabb reached the semifinals at the famed Manhattan Open with Taylor Sander and lost to his brother Trevor Crabb and Tri Bourne. Trevor Crabb/Bourne defeated former UCSB star Theo Brunner and Chaim Schalk in the final.