OSAAtoday - Sept. 3 girls volleyball notebook

South Wasco County's team overcame tears and broken hearts to thrive on the court the first weekend of 2024

Still the 1?

The 2024 volleyball season got underway on Thursday. Teams had three days to dip their toes in before taking off on Sunday and Labor Day Monday.

How did the pre-season No. 1 teams do?

6A No. 1 Jesuit, 5A No. 1 Crescent Valley and 2A No. 1 Portland Christian did not complete. Those teams open their seasons today versus Sherwood, Thursday against Pleasant Hill and Friday facing Stanfield, respectively.

The other three No. 1’s combined to go 9-0.

Pleasant Hill, the only team not to win a championship to start at No. 1, had the most impressive start. The 2023 3A runner-up Billies won the Cascade Christian Invitational on Saturday, including a sweep of 4A runner-up Marshfield in the final match. Pleasant Hill also swept the host school and Santiam Christian.

In the final match versus Marshfield, MB Ruby Jackson had nine kills while hitting .533 and sophomore OH Anna Crawford had five kills (hitting .444) with four aces.

“The win ultimately belongs to the team of course,” emphasized head coach Jessica Crawford.

Can’t be beat

Outside of the three undefeated No. 1 teams, another 19 Oregon squads started the season by going 2-0 or better.

The 3-0 start for 5A South Albany included a win over 2022 6A champion Sheldon on Friday at the Mountain View Invite.

In the Sheldon win, Taylor Donaldson had 13 kills, Klaire Bitter contributed 27 assists and 11 digs, Maddie Angel passed a 2,27 with 13 digs, OH Audrey Webb delivered nine kills with eight digs and MB Taelyn Bentley amassed six kills, five blocks and four aces.

“I think the outcome of the Sheldon match, who is always a tough opponent, is largely due to the team's resilience and trust that has accumulated from playing under pressure as underclassmen the last two years - which has developed into the confidence I see them having from the start this year,” noted coach Kaela Wehrman. “In Set 2, we struggled with taking care of the ball and made a lot of unforced errors. At one point we were down 10-20, but their energy and resilience allowed them to battle back to a final score of 22-25 and they carried that energy into the third set for the win.”

6A South Medford went 3-0 on Friday at the Mountain View Tournament. The Panthers did not drop a set in wins over Thurston, South Salem and the host school.

“We were particularly happy about our team's focus on finishing each set and finding some consistency,” noted head coach Robin Akpan. “They showed a lot of maturity early on in the season. We have a solid group of returners coming back and though they all played different club programs they seem to be coming together really well.”

Standouts included setter Julia Slaughter, who showed hustle; OH Daija Malcolm, who excelled from the service line; and MB Mayenabasi Akpan, who dominated at. The net.

1A South Wasco County is 3-0 after winning the Dufur Classic. The Redsides swept the host school for the title.

South Wasco’s success came within one week after separate motor vehicle accidents claimed the lives of a rising senior at the school who was described as “everyone’s best bud” and a community member/relative/friend.

“Our team has been devastated by the losses and emotionally pushed to the limit,” said coach Shelley Iverson. “Our goal going into Friday was to be together, try and have fun and get through the two days as best as we can. To be able to get on the floor and play volleyball after the week they had, both coaches are very proud of each of them. The whole team is a standout.”

Trinity Lutheran won the 1A/2A/3A division of the NPJ State Preview Tournament this past weekend. The 2-0 Saints, who finished fourth in 1A last year; competed well in pool play against much larger schools with winning pedigrees, then dominated the matches against their own ilk.

Standouts for the event included OH Charlotte Quinn (17 kills), OH Malia Hernandez (11 aces) and defender Lucy McAllister (19 digs).

Odds and ends

Catlin Gabel didn't play this first weekend, but the Eagles did have a great moment at Portland State on Friday.

Sophie Scott, a Catlin alum playing for Cal, was in town for the weekend, as the Golden Bears were in a tournament at PSU. Scott didn’t play, as she had her third knee surgery six months ago and is taking a medical redshirt.

The Catlin program decided to go cheer her and her team on anyway, as Cal took on Nevada.

Scott came out to say “Hi” and answer questions following the Cal win.

“It was a great opportunity for our athletes to watch some high-level volleyball, then connect with a highly successful alum with a unique perspective on the game, injuries and the recruiting process,” said coach Jeanette Lee.

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St. Paul senior middle Audra Rose has been prolific early in her senior year, as the Seattle Pacific recruit seeks to improve on her breakout junior campaign. Rose had 26 kills and eight blocks in a five-set win over Central Christian, one of four weekend wins (which also included a four-set victory over 1A power Powder Valley). Freshman Annie Cavazos made an impressive debut for the Buckaroos with just one missed serve in 50 offerings.

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Trinity Lutheran posed for a photo after its win at NPJ with a stuffed goat. It’s a new tradition the school started this year noted head coach Kristin Bryan. Every match/tournament, the team will award a GOAT of the game to a player for her contributions that day.

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South Albany’s strong start to 2024 included significant contributions from senior middle Taelyn Bentley, who transferred from Crescent Valley after winning two state titles with the Raiders. Bentley has been a key addition to a RedHawk roster led by a core group of seniors and juniors, most of whom have been playing on varsity together since they were freshman and sophomores.

“The transfer of Taelyn Bentley to South Albany has been seamless and so positive,” said Coach Wehrman. “The positive energy and competitive drive that Taelyn has blends seamlessly with the energy of my returning core group - looking at the team together both on and off the court you would think Taelyn has been a part of our program for years. The energy is so wholesome and positive! I cannot wait to see what all they accomplish together this season.“

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Century participated in the Varsity Jamboree at Liberty on Thursday.

“We played great, and it looks like our preseason work is showing, as we beat both Newberg and McMinnville,” noted first-year head coach Loren Anderson.

Lola Mastrantonio (junior OH) and Callie Turner (senior S) were standouts, but, said Anderson, “honestly the joy and excitement of a team realizing they CAN play and compete was the biggest highlight.”

Century won just four matches last year but has received an infusion of life from Anderson, who coached a top 25 program in California last year but moved to Oregon to be with his ailing mother. Anderson is an experienced club coach working in a school where expensive club volleyball is inaccessible to most. He says that Century will be limited in how much it can improve until a viable offseason program is created for the players.

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Rene Ferran at SI.com has come out with an All-Oregon team for the pre-season, which identifies most of the top talents in the state (no Cheyenne Green of Pleasant Hill?). Check out his list here: https://www.si.com/high-school/oregon/oregon-high-school-volleyball-2024-preseason-all-state-team-01j6dmdmhbag

Here’s outlookin’ at ya!

In last week’s Notebook, we summarized the expected fortunes of almost 50 Oregon girls high school volleyball programs. Find that Notebook here: https://www.osaa.org/today/article/3905/view?title=Aug.+27+girls+volleyball+notebook

This week, we add another dozen or so, in alphabetical order by classification, as high school coaches, following the link below, complete them. We will include more of these in the next few weeks. Varsity head coaches may fill out our form at this link: https://osaa.wufoo.com/forms/z4cyr8e1od4g0i/

Barlow had a successful 19-6 campaign a year ago under coach Lihau Perreira. Three All-Conference players have graduated including Mt. Hood Conference POY Lilly Knight. The Bruins will rely this fall on 6-2 senior middle Addi Knight, another All-Conference pick; 5-10 senior pin Alexa Bell, 5-6 junior setter Cadence Austin and a host of talented newcomers, including freshman libero Natalie Bell. Some may overlook Barlow because of the players lost, but to do so might be perilous, because this group has the goods to compete at the top of the conference.

Beaverton fell one win shy of 10 last fall in head coach Ashley Waggoner’s fourth year. Waggoner was recognized for her work as Metro League Coach of the Year, as the Beavers made the playoffs for the first time since 2019. This year’s team will look a lot like last year, with the exception of All-League RS Jane Christensen, who has graduated. Beaverton returns All-League setter Kaarina Geymann, a senior; plus two other seniors, OH Destiny Hernandez and RS Ella deCarli. Junior middles Bailey Shields and Kalani Dehnert and sophomore libero Ashlyn Hicks round out the returning core group, most of whom have at least three years of varsity experience and are hungry to join the group of contenders atop the tough Metro.

Loren Anderson takes over a Century program that won only four matches in 2023. The Jaguars should be improved with four starters returning, including seniors Callie Turner, Bailey Henderson and Nimo Mohamed and junior Lola Mastrantonio. Freshman MB Mallak Kamel is a newcomer to watch on a Century team that should run a fast offense and serve and block well.

Forest Grove was 13-7 last fall and made the second round of the state playoffs. The Vikings hope to win one more post-season match in 2024 and make the state tournament behind two All-Conference returning players, junior setter Sofie Fox and sophomore OH Sydney Chrismer. Look for senior OH Paola Reyes Figueroa to be a leader and impact attacker for Jeff Leo’s team, which is athletic, cohesive and hard working.

Oregon City is the two-time reigning Three Rivers League champion and played for the 6A state title in 2023. The Pioneers graduated six seniors, including both starting middles, but return one of the state’s elite players in 6-2 OH Paige Thies, the Oregon Gatorade Player of the Year. Setter Phoebe Hyland, OH Jordan Marquett, libero Emma Comer and RS Grace Landon, all seniors along with Thies, return for head coach Erica Frafjord. Freshman setter Tabitha Westermeyer is one of several impact newcomers on a veteran team in a program becoming entrenched as one of the best in the state year in and year out.

Katie Tankersley’s first year as head coach at Sandy has been successful, as the Pioneers are undefeated after the first week. The team, which made it to the state playoffs last year, want to go at least one better in 2024 behind returning defender Maddy Galstad, setters Kalysta Majerak and Karlee Tankersley and hitters Maia Roach and Anna Orlowski. The Pios should be a strong defensive team. A surge in offensive efficiency may help the team exceed its goals for the year.

South Medford was a .500 team in 2023 but has the pieces to take a big step forward. The Panthers return six key performers, including 6-3 junior OH/MB Mayenabasi Akpan, an All-State honoree; All-Conference setter Julia Slaughter and All-Conference middle Daija Malcolm. This team has height, four seniors in its rotation, cohesion, power and athleticism. It should be very, very good.

Ridgeview was a tick under .500 in its first year under coach Michelle Green. The Ravens should be better in 2024 with all but two starters back. Junior OH Addy Cummings, a Second Team All-League pick, is one of five returnees who garnered some All-League recognition. The others are senior libero Sarah Fretz, senior setters Abby Medina and Bri Rost and senior MB Molly Meyer. Freshman middle Claira Ross is expected to make an impact, as is returning pin Grace Loredo.

Silverton was 14-8 in coach Kristen Barnes’ return to the sidelines after a 13-year hiatus. Six seniors, including five starters, have graduated. That includes Alexis Haury, the best player in program history, who is a starting setter as a true freshman at the University of Washington. Two All-Conference picks, defender Helen Schmitz and MB Ella Haury, return along with others who contributed like OH Haley Davis, S/RS Dini Schults and Brooklyn Preifer, who will play middle this year. Silverton has talent and could be a tough test for most opponents this year, but will it be enough in a loaded Mid-Willamette Conference that includes Crescent Valley, South Albany, West Albany and Corvallis?

Scappoose was 10-11 last fall in a season defined by injuries. Those injuries turned into opportunities and Scappoose has impact players back despite four starters graduating. Among those to watch are libero Ashlen Komp, OH Aryanna Searle, OH Rylee Townsend and MB Hannah Hendrix. Two newcomers, sophomore RS Taylor Liebig and setter Kelsey Mollenhour, are talented newcomers that could have Scappoose in contention for the Cowapa League title.

Cascade Christian won 22 matches and placed fourth in the state tournament last year. The Challengers graduated four senior starters, but return All-State hitter Poppy Freeman, big blocking middle Julia Brehm, outside Isabel McCauley and All-Conference defender Grace McCauley. The team should win its conference, but how far it goes in the playoffs will depend on how quickly the newcomers, especially setter Rylan Hunter, blend with the returning players and adjust to the pace of the game.

Portland Christian came out of nowhere last year to win its first state title since 2018. The Royals, who lost just one match in 2023, had zero senior starters. One regular has left the team, but the remaining standouts, libero Olive Clapp, setter Payton Becker, MB Addison Johanson and pins Finley Marine and Alyssa Baird, are very, very good. In a division with very competitive teams, the Royals will be favored to repeat, but it will not be easy.

Western Christian was the favorite in 2A for most of last year. The Pioneers lost just three matches but one was an upset in the state semifinals. Coach Sydney Fahndrich saw zero starters graduate from that team, but RS Lilli Robinson did transfer. The loss should be minimal with senior hitters Hannah Stephenson and Gabby Stratton returning to Western and joining a rotation that includes senior All-State setter Lexi Herber, sophomore All-State MB Addison Herber and sophomore All-State OH Avery Herber, sophomore libero Allison Chastain and senior MB Elsa Hibler. This is a deep and determined team. Western found the volleyball map for the first time last year. The goal this year is to solidify its place within it.

North Lake made the playoffs last year for the first time in more than a decade. The Cowboys expect to at last match last year’s results with every starter save one middle blocker back. That means All-League setter Emma Baker and All-League OH Hannah Roth return, as do MBs Acacia Roth and Dillynn Puckett and, OH Cynthia Tobiasson. The program has seven freshmen, a total of 20 playing volleyball and many played the sport beyond the fall by participating in club ball for the first time. The improvement could be rapid and should be tangible.

College-Bound!

In this space, we list those players, in the current senior class and younger, who have made a commitment to attend a college or university of their choice and play volleyball.

Here’s who we have so far. We will add to this list in subsequent notebooks as we receive notifications.

Addy Azavedo, 5-7 Sr. libero, Jesuit -- Washington

Madi Andrews, 6-1 Jr. OH, Nelson – Michigan State

Taelyn Bentley, 5-11 Sr. MB, South Albany – South Florida

Mylee Blake, 6-1 Sr. OH, West Albany -- Montana

Jackie Carle, 5-7 Sr. S/DS, Jesuit – Washington State

Emma Fauth, 6-0 Sr. OH, Wilsonville – Humboldt State

Cheyenne Green, 6-1 Sr. OH, Pleasant Hill – Oregon State

Bailey Henderson, 5-4 Sr. libero, Century -- Pacific University

Hayden McGehee, 5-7 Sr. S, Jesuit -- Belmont

Kamden Mitchell, 5-10 Sr. S, Crescent Valley -- University of Oregon

Audra Rose, 6-2 Sr. MB, St. Paul – Seattle Pacific University