Cats’ pajamas
Paso Robles’ beach volleyball program is just three years old, but has been growing consistently and, this year, was able to open its own home three-court facility due to some very generous parents and community partners.
The Bearcats have a newcomer to the program this year, freshman Kiley Bowman, with serious college potential. She and veteran senior McKenzie Cobb have teamed to be the No. 1 pair and they are 6-0 in league play.
Falcons still flying high
Torrey Pines has a young and talented team that is currently 8-0 in league and 9-1 overall. The Falcons have lost just three matches over three years, all to Cathedral Catholic, including last year in the San Diego Section Beach Volleyball Championships.
This is a young team, with five freshmen among the 11 varsity players. The team mightplayersbeen a little more seasoned, and perhaps even better, had Sean Pope’s squad not lost 5-7 players to a San Diego Section rule barring beach players from practicing with their club teams in-season.
Though the 11 players are vying to be among the five pairs competing for a title, the top pair is well set with senior Isa Wicklund and junior Holly Cassidy. Wicklund is a veteran presence on the team and plays with experience and consistency. Cassidy, a junior, is new to the team and has a promising all-around game. She will play indoors as a libero for the Irish National Team.
The second pair will be one of seniors Nethra Mahendrin or Mai Plsek teaming with talented freshman Greta Pennock. Mahendrin is another three-year veteran who played in the 4-5 spot last year. Pennock is a multi-sport athlete who is raw as a beach player but has immense potential. Pope predicts she will be Div. I if she commits to the sport.
These seniors are FAB!
VolleyballMag.com on Thursday released its FAB 50 girls beach volleyball players. All seniors, half of the list resides in the Golden State, as follows:
Bella Adishian, 5-8, Harvard-Westlake
Maddy Byrne, 5-10, Santa Rosa Academy
Kiara Edwards, 6-0, Torrey Pines
Charlee Ellena, 5-11, Carlsbad
Babi Gubbins, 6-3, Wilson (Long Beach)
Victoria Henkel, 6-0, Redondo Union
*Carly Hixson, 5-7, Cathedral Catholic
Sadie Jeffrey, 6-0, Santa Cruz
Ingrid Timon-Johnson, 5-7, Marymount
Alex Kurz, 5-8, Mira Costa
Haylee LaFontaine, 6-0, Huntington Beach
Giselle Lau, 5-5, Mira Costa
Savanna Lau, 5-4, Mira Costa
Elise Lenahan, 5-9, Los Alamitos
Sophia Martinez, 5-7, Western Christian (Upland)
Kate Morley, 5-9, Mira Costa
*Adelina Okazaki, 5-7, La Jolla
Stacy Reeves, 5-8, Beckman
Kiki Remensperger, 5-9, Poway
Dani Sparks, 5-7, Huntington Beach
Kendal Steller, 5-9, Mira Costa
Quincy Stephens, 5-11, Chico
Logan Tusher, 6-0, Branson
Demi Wagdy, 5-8, Norco
Summer Witherby, 6-0, Edison
* Specifically mentioned as among the top six nationally in the sport
TCU-bound Alex Kurz of Mira Costa poses with coaches Nancy Mason (left) and Savvy Simo.
Watch this!
VolleyballMag.com also produced an extensive Underclassmen to Watch list. As you might anticipate, California girls were well-represented here, too.
Mikki Carlin, 6-1, Jr., San Dieguito Academy
Emma Champagne, 6-0, Soph., Sierra Canyon
Gracen Daniels, 6-0, Jr., Cathedral Catholic
Hannah Demiter, 6-0, Jr., San Dieguito Academy
Taylor Dobbs, 5-6, Jr., La Canada
Jessie Dueck, 5-11, Jr., Soquel
Audrey Flanagan, 6-3 Soph., Mira Costa
Grace Fogel, 6-1, Jr., JSerra
Sarah Gyepes, 5-11, Soph., Santa Monica
Ciela Hendrickson, 5-10. Soph., Santa Monica
Sam Herman, 5-9, Jr., Torrey Pines
Ruby Hill, 6-3, Jr., JSerra
Samantha Hsu, 5-9, Jr., Chadwick
Ella Hughes, 5-8, Soph., La Jolla
Mallory LaBreche, 5-10,, Jr., Palos Verdes
Molly LaBreche, 5-7, Jr., Palos Verdes
Thalia Lindhal, 5-8, Fresh., Palos Verdes
Cora Loomer, 6-1, Soph., San Marcos (San Marcos)
Macey Ludwig, 5-4, Soph., Newport Harbor
Keely McIlroy, 5-10, Jr., Carlsbad
Sara Moynihan, 5-8 Soph., JSerra
Olga Nikolaeva, 5-6, Soph., Mira Costa
Ella Olson, 5-10, Fresh., Newport Harbor
Zoe Pabarcus, 5-11, Jr., Our Lady of Peace
Taylor Ponchak, 6-2, Jr., Huntington Beach
Kara Namimatsu, 5-9, Soph., Bishop Montgomery
Ivanna Rivera Vargas, 5-9, Jr., Eastlake
Simone Roslon, 5-10, Soph., Mira Costa
Lily Sprague, 5-9, Soph., Mira Costa
Claire Sun, Jr., Castilleja
Cayla Sutton, 5-10, Jr., Clovis North
Savannah Thomas, 5-9, Jr., Rancho Christian
Eliana Urzua, 6-1, Jr., Bishop Diego
JoJo Wilson, 5-11, Fresh., Cathedral Catholic
Kyra Zaengle, 5-9, Jr., Laguna Beach
News and notes
Oceanside made the Division 1 playoffs a year ago and expects to make a similar push this year. The Pirates have been shorthanded the first half of the season due to indoor club commitments and other commitments, and the league is tougher than ever with the additions of Torrey Pines, San Dieguito and San Marcos.
“We should be able to go on a run the second half of league play and roll into CIF feeling good,” said coach Nathan Fristed.
***
Harbor had a huge win last Wednesday. The Pirates beat city rival Santa Cruz for the first time ever on the beach. Harbor has shared the past two league titles with Santa Cruz but hopes this historic win leads to a first solo league title.
College commitments
Below, as reported to us, please find 70 commitments to play beach volleyball at the collegiate level, a massive number. Additions or corrections may be emailed to jtawa@cifstate.org.
Tea Abischer, Sr., San Luis Obispo – UC Davis
Bella Adishian, Sr., Harvard-Westlake – UC Berkeley
Megan Avery, Sr., Buchanan - California State - Bakersfield
Charlotta Bell, Sr., Campolindo – Stanford
Ellie Black, Jr., Mira Costa -- UC Davis
Maddy Byrne, Sr., Santa Rosa Academy -- Cal Poly SLO
Mikki Carlin, Jr., San Dieguito Academy -- Stanford
Gracen Daniels, Jr., Cathedral Catholic -- USC
Hannah Demiter, Jr., San Dieguito Academy – UC Berkely
Taylor Dobbs, Jr., La Canada -- USC
Jessie Dueck, Jr., Soquel -- UCLA
Kiara Edwards, Sr., Torrey Pines – Arizona State
Charlee Ellena, Sr., Carlsbad – Boise State
Niki Egan, Sr., Cathedral Catholic – Washington
Sophia Fields, Sr., Central Valley Christian – Saint Mary’s University
Elena Fisher, Jr., Branson – Stanford
Grace Fogel, Jr., JSerra -- USC
Reese Fraser, Sr, Archie Williams – UC Davis
Meghan Freck, Sr., Huntington Beach – UC Davis
Giselle Gallegos,Sr. Redondo Union -- Tulane
Elena Gonzalez-Hughes, Sr., Oceanside – Cal State Northridge
Gwen Grigsby, Sr., Harbor – Cal State Bakersfield
Ella Gray, Sr., Redondo Union -- USC
Babi Gubbins, Sr., Wilson (Long Beach) – Stanford
Megan Hair, Jr., Bakersfield Christian - University of South Florida
Victoria Henkel, Sr., Redondo Union – LSU
Sam Herman, Jr., Torrey Pines -- USC
Ruby Hill, 6-3, JSerra -- UCLA
Carly Hixson, Sr., Cathedral Catholic – UC Berkeley
Samantha Hsu, Jr., Chadwick -- Washington
Kayla Johnson, Sr., Pleasant Valley – Utah
Sadie Jeffrey, Sr., Santa Cruz – Cal Poly SLO
Alex Kurz, Sr., Mira Costa -- TCU
Mallory Labreche, Jr., Palos Verdes – UCLA
Molly Labreche, Jr., Palos Verdes – LSU
Hayley LaFontaine, Sr., Huntington Beach – Cal Poly SLO
Giselle Lau, Sr., Mira Costa -- UC Berkeley
Savanna Lau, Sr., Mirfa Costa -- UC Berkeley
Elise Lenahan, Sr., Los Alamitos -- Cal Poly SLO
Sophia Martinez, Sr., Western Christian (Upland) – Long Beach State
Keely McIlroy, Jr., Carlsbad -- Long Beach State
Mackenzie Miller, Sr., Redondo Union -- USC
Elon Milroy, Sr., Los Alamitos – San Jose State
Ayva Moi, Jr., Cathedral Catholic – Hawaii
Sadie Moore, Sr., Pleasant Valley – Arizona
Kate Morley, Sr., Mira Costa – UC Berkeley
Sophia Neeley, Sr., Yosemite – Corban University
Noa Nuez, Sr., Los Alamitos – Georgia State
Adelina Okazaki, Sr., La Jolla -- UCLA
Zoe Pabarcus, Jr., Our Lady of Peace-- Washington
Taylor Ponchak, Jr., Huntington Beach – Stanford
Kaitlin Powell, Sr., Clovis North -- Morehead State
Stacy Reeves, Sr., Beckman – TCU
Kiki Remensperger, Sr., Poway – South Carolina
Ivanna Rivera Vargas, Jr., Eastlake -- Stanford
Ava Rogers, Jr., Clovis North -- Cal State Northridge
Sadie Snipes, Sr., Branson – Santa Clara
Dani Sparks, Sr., Huntington Beach – Cal Poly SLO
Kendall Steller, Sr., Mira Costa – UC Davis
Quincy Stephens, Sr., Chico -- Utah
Claire Sun, Jr., Castilleja -- TCU
Cayla Sutton, Jr., Clovis North -- Stetson University
Reese Thai Sandoval, Sr., Mira Costa -- UC Davis
Savannah Thomas, Jr., Rancho Christian -- Texas
Ingrid Timon-Johnson, Sr. Marymount – Loyola Marymount
Logan Tusher, Sr., Branson - Stanford
Demi Wagdy, Sr., Norco – Long Beach State
Layla Williams, Sr., Torrey Pines – Arizona State
Sophia Winter, Sr., Pleasant Valley – Arizona
Summer Witherby, Sr., Edison (Huntington Beach) – Cal Poly SLO
Kyra Zaengle, Jr., Laguna Beach -- USC