Membership/HS
January 10, 2024
There have been many compelling storylines this previous fall in ladies highschool volleyball. That is our prime 10, with apologies to Smyrna (Delaware), Lydia Chinchar and Carrollwood Day (Florida.), Lincoln Southwest (Nebraska), Sisters (Oregon) and Louisiana superstars Camryn Chatellier and Sophia Bonnaffee, all of whom fell simply outdoors the record.
10. Pirates rise from depths to earn booty
Oceanside was 9-17 indoors in 2022. In 2023, the Pirates improved 15 matches within the win column, received their first San Diego Part title in Div. 4 and reached the California Div. V state title match for the primary time within the college’s historical past. Coach Nathan Fristed’s group misplaced within the state championship match, however it battled into 5 units with champion Crystal Springs Upland, not unhealthy for a group that Fristed took over six years in the past when Oceanside was within the midst of a 56-match league winless streak.
The turnaround began on the seaside within the spring, when the Pirates received a league title for the primary time within the 116-year historical past of the college; and it continued this fall, with an eight-match postseason successful streak heading into the state ultimate.
“Each group units that aim to begin the season — win league, win CIF, take it to state,” mentioned Fristed. “You’d wish to consider that’s true, however seldom is it a chance for every group. We knew we might win CIF [San Diego Section Division 4] as a result of we’d performed and overwhelmed everybody in our division. We swept that and this group then believed it might win state and began to gel collectively. It was an superior run.”
9. O’Dell beckons
On November 17, 2018, Fairport (NY) boys volleyball upended Sachem North for the New York Division 1 title. That very same day, three time zones to the west, Mater Dei captured the California ladies volleyball state title within the Open division by sweeping Central of Fresno.
John O’Dell is the longtime head coach at Fairport. His youthful brother, Dan, is the longtime head coach at Mater Dei.
Quick ahead 5 years and a day. Fairport, beneath O’Dell, received its first state title since 2018 with a sweep of Shenendehowa. A number of hours later, Mater Dei, beneath O’Dell, upended Archbishop Mitty in 4 units to win the CIF Open state title, the primary for the Monarchs since 2018. Mater Dei, by the way, additionally clinched the legendary nationwide championship with the win.
Two titles for the teaching brothers, one on every coast, on the identical day in 2018. And once more in 2023.
Unreal.
8. No pleasure in Illinois
4 Illinois colleges, Lemont, Altamont, Belleville East and St. Teresa, had been all denied the prospect to compete for state titles by being disqualified from regional play by the Illinois Excessive Faculty Affiliation as a result of they performed greater than the 35-match regular-season restrict.
Lemont’s exclusion induced essentially the most uproar as a result of the group was poised to make a deep run after going 27-9 throughout the common season, together with 13-0 with out a dropped set within the South Suburban Convention.
“The season limitation by-law exists in each IHSA sport with the intention to present aggressive fairness among the many colleges as they enter into competitors within the IHSA State Collection,” IHSA Government Director Craig Anderson mentioned in a ready assertion. “As unlucky because the consequence could also be, these groups obtained a aggressive benefit that no different group within the event obtained, and there may be over 40 years of priority dictating that violating this rule excludes a group from State Collection participation. Neither myself, the IHSA workers, nor the IHSA Board of Administrators derive any pleasure in delivering this resolution, however we’re tasked with upholding the principles our member colleges put into place.”
7. Briarcrest Christian “Carries On”
In 2022, Briarcrest Christian received its fourth Tennessee state title over the five-year teaching tenure of Carrie Yerty. Yerty, a former collegiate head coach at Memphis and Wyoming, was unable to attend the state championship for well being causes however she did make it to the college for the banner celebration. Three months later, on Jan. 24, 2023, Yerty handed away after an extended bout with colon most cancers.
Briarcrest Christian received once more in 2023, behind a freshman, Breya Dawson, who by no means performed for Yerty. The title was the eleventh in program historical past for the Saints and the primary for first-year head coach April Jauregui, Yerty’s shut good friend, assistant coach and mentor.
Jauregui assumed the pinnacle coach’s place for this season, however she was certain to remind everybody that the Saints had been enjoying for Yerty. The group donned “Play for Carrie” T-shirts to heat up earlier than matches all season lengthy.
Right here’s what Jauregui, herself a former collegiate head coach, needed to say in regards to the match:
“Going into this season I knew we had the expertise within the gymnasium to compete for one more State Championship, however we lacked expertise, which may solely come from being in huge video games and conditions. We additionally wanted to work to proceed the successful tradition of Briarcrest Volleyball.
“It’s laborious to observe Carrie Yerty. I did it earlier than on the College of Memphis. Albeit, beneath a lot completely different circumstances this time round. I took over teaching this system earlier than the beginning of final season (2022), when Carrie was too sick to come back anymore. That was rocky, however on the finish we discovered a technique to play via the grief, come collectively, and struggle for her. We graduated nearly our whole beginning line-up, one which included 4 faculty stage gamers.
“So this was a re-load yr. This season, we wore shirts that mentioned ‘Play for Carrie,’ however it was actually extra about honoring her legacy and what she has constructed right here at Briarcrest. It was not a simple highway; in actual fact, a couple of month in the past, we had a string of losses and poor performances. I wasn’t certain how it could all pan out. However, credit score to my teaching workers, we bought these ladies to purchase in and compete.
“They had been so locked in on the finish of the season. They had been in a position to deal with setbacks higher. That they had constructed that resiliency. The struggle was there. That’s the most rewarding as a coach as a result of that’s what Carrie was all about. She was a fighter and, in the end, that’s what it means to play for her. To present all the things you’ve bought till the final whistle. For Carrie, that meant preventing most cancers. For these ladies on this group, it meant studying what it takes to beat an impediment. For us as coaches, we all know it’s about getting ready them for the hardships of life. We will’t management what occurs to us; we are able to solely management how we reply. We’ll let God handle the remaining.
“This win means loads to me and our teaching workers. I miss Carrie greater than I can put into phrases. After I took over at Memphis on the younger age of 28, I stupidly tried to do issues my method. This go round, I knew higher. I adopted an incredible coach. She was one among my finest mates, my mentor, my boss, and most significantly my sister in Christ. We’re ceaselessly sure by that. I’m nonetheless me, and I’ve my very own fashion of teaching, however I give attention to making an attempt to do issues as I consider she would do them. I’m intentional about protecting the traditions of Briarcrest volleyball alive and honoring her the most effective I can. As soon as a Saint, at all times a Saint.”
6. Thrilla in Wasilla
For 17 years, the Alaska large-class state champion was both South Anchorage or Dimond, two Anchorage-area colleges. Earlier than that, Service, one other Anchorage college, received the 4A title in 2003 and 2004. You needed to go all the best way again to 2002, when Juneau-Douglas prevailed, to discover a large-class champion from outdoors the state’s largest metropolis.
That modified in 2023, when Wasilla accomplished a sweep via 4A with a win over Bettye Davis East. Wasilla is located 43 miles northeast of Anchorage, with the Cook dinner Inlet in between.
Senior Rylee Pitney, a 6-3 OH, had the ultimate kill within the win. She completed with 491 kills and 164 aces and was VolleyballMag.com’s Alaska Participant of the Yr.
5. Harp strings Fayetteville alongside
Fayetteville went into 2023 with three consecutive Arkansas large-class state titles to its credit score, however with out 14 gamers from final yr’s title group, together with all however one starter. The holdover was Regan Harp, a center for the Bulldogs in 2022.
Harp moved to the surface for 2023 and put the group on her again on the best way to a fourth straight title for Fayetteville. The College of Central Arkansas recruit had 29 kills, 15 digs, three blocks and two aces within the championship match win over Conway, capping a yr through which she led the state in kills with 587, twice as many as anybody else on her group. Harp additionally led Fayetteville in digs with 274 and amassed 33 aces and 43 blocks. She was named All-Arkansas Preps Participant of the Yr and Northwest Arkansas Occasions Participant of the Yr, amongst many different accolades.
“Regan Harp was an absolute pressure on the volleyball courtroom for us this fall and secured her place in Fayetteville historical past by clinching her fourth consecutive state championship, a feat unmatched in our program’s historical past,” famous head coach Jessica Phelan. “I couldn’t be prouder of how these children leaned into the legacy of Fayetteville Volleyball. We graduated 14 seniors final season however, for this group, it was not nearly who we misplaced, however who we’re. They had been a fantastic group; performed with whole belief and fervour, successful 16-14 within the fifth to safe the fourth title in a row. It was candy to see them by no means cease believing in what they might accomplish collectively.”
4. Twin turbos
Bobbi Petersen has been the pinnacle ladies’s volleyball coach at Northern Iowa repeatedly since 2001. Petersen has 4 daughters, two units of twins. In 2018, Baylee Petersen and Sydney Petersen graduated from Dike-New Hartford Excessive Faculty after distinguished prep careers that included three state titles. Each performed for his or her mom at UNI.
In 2024, Jadyn Petersen and Payton Petersen will graduate from DNH after distinguished prep careers that included three state titles. Every was a First-Staff All-State choice a number of occasions. Payton Petersen, who will attend Louisville, arguably was essentially the most adorned of the 4 throughout her highschool years. 3 times she was named Most Excellent Participant on the state event, together with final fall, when she helped take the Wolverines to a 50-0 report, capped by a finals sweep of Hinton through which she had 20 kills.
3. As soon as a Ponn a time
Carla Ponn was second all-time and first amongst lively coaches in profession wins within the Virginia Excessive Faculty League when she stepped down, after 18 years as head coach at Hidden Valley, with the Titans 29-1 and 4 wins from a Class 3 state title. Ponn cited her well being as the explanation she stepped away.
Hidden Valley, guided by the group’s assistant coaches, managed to win 4 straight to shut out the season with a state title. The Titans had been guided by a Ponn, even when it wasn’t their head coach. Caleigh Ponn, the group’s standout junior hitter and daughter of the previous head coach, had 24 kills, 12 digs and 4 aces to propel Hidden Valley to its first title since 2016.
2. One thing to Owl about
Between 1997 and 2010, Muncie Burris received a report 14 straight Indiana state titles, 13 beneath legendary coach Steve Shondell. Shondell resigned from Burris to grow to be head coach at Ball State. Burris one received extra state title, beneath Thanh Harnish, however then nothing for greater than a decade, till 2023, when the Owls swept Brownstown Central for the 2A crown. The title was the state-record twenty third for Burris.
1. An admirable Admiral streak
For the previous 21 years, Bayside Academy, of Daphne, Alabama, received its final match of the season. The Admirals, coached by Ann Schilling, began this unprecedented streak of state titles in 2A in 2002. They received six at that classification earlier than being elevated to 3A, the place they received 10 straight. In 2018, the Alabama Excessive Faculty Athletic Affiliation made Bayside a 4A college. The Admirals received that yr and once more the subsequent, after they had been elevated, attributable to success, to 5A. Bayside received that classification in 2020 and in 2021, when the AHSAA informed the Admirals they had been going to 6A. They received that final yr! For 21 years, wherever the AHSAA positioned Bayside, the Admirals received! Twenty-one years!! That’s loopy!
This yr, ladies who weren’t even born when the streak started, had been tasked with persevering with it. The strain will need to have been intense!
Bayside received its technique to the 6A semifinals, and located itself dealing with powerhouse Mountain Brook, a group it eradicated from competition a yr in the past. The Admirals (46-10) dropped the primary set however received the subsequent two. They wanted to win only one extra to advance and had been shut in Video games 4 and 5, however Mountain Brook bought the higher of them, 25-23, 15-13, earlier than occurring to win the state title the subsequent day over Saraland, behind event MVP Hannah Parant, who had 35 assists, 10 kills, 10 digs and two aces.
“They fought, they by no means, give up, they simply battled and I can’t ever get mad after we lose like that or upset as a result of we laid all of it on the road and I informed them that,” Schilling informed veteran volleyball author Dennis Victory. “I’m simply happy with our program and what we’ve been in a position to accomplish. I imply, 21 in a row over six divisions is fairly dang unbelievable and it needed to finish sooner or later and I’ve been saying that and never simply this yr.”
Schilling, who continues to be teaching nearly six years after a prognosis of stage IV breast most cancers, took to social media to pay tribute to her gamers.
“So many feelings. I can actually say unquestionably I’m really blessed. God has positioned me at a spot that I like to work and coach. He has additionally given me many nice younger ladies to mentor and coach for the previous 36 years. The Bayside volleyball group is a TRUE household. There’s love throughout. We hugged, shed many tears, shared reminiscences and ate our final meal of the season at camp Bayside. We got here up quick within the match however we didn’t come up quick within the sport of life. This group of women fought, battled and confirmed true grit beneath a few of the most excessive and traumatic conditions. We now have overcome inconceivable odds. Our program is greater than anyone individual. And we honor God in all that we do. We bought knocked down however we are going to get again up. I inform my children I discovered far more within the valley (my most cancers setback) than I ever have in my whole life. We’ll bounce again. We’ll stand up! We’re robust! We’re Bayside volleyball. Let’s go in ‘24!”
