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GIRLS’ VOLLEYBALL SEASON PREVIEW:Indians look to rule court
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| Senior Karissa Lagmay is a returning All-CIF girls' volleyball player for Burroughs High. |
Burroughs returns fine group from successful squad last year; Burbank, Bell-Jeff, Providence fitting pieces together.
By Jeff Tully
BURBANK — Last season proved to be a successful year for three of the four local girls’ volleyball programs.
Providence won a share of the Liberty League championship and advanced to the CIF Southern Section Division IVAA semifinals for the first time in school history.
Burroughs also enjoyed a fine postseason run, advancing to the CIF Division IIA quarterfinals for the first time in 20 years.
Bellarmine-Jefferson won a share of the Santa Cruz League title and was successful in its opening Division IVA playoff match.
Unfortunately for Burbank, it was the lone school that wasn’t able to fight its way into the playoffs.
This season, Providence, Bell-Jeff and Burbank have to regroup after losing their share of key players to graduation.
However, the Indians return almost their entire team, and the group is looking to make a run for their first league championship in 13 years.
“The girls played a lot during the summer and they have worked very hard,” said Burroughs Coach Edwin Real, last season’s All-Area coach of the year. “We’re excited about the season.”
With the season set to begin next week, here is a closer look at how the teams are shaping up:
The Indians enjoyed a remarkable turnaround in 2006, going 15-9 (10-4 for third place in the Pacific League). A year earlier, the team (3-15, 0-10) finished last in the Foothill League.
One of the reasons for that success was the play of outside hitter Karissa Lagmay. Lagmay, who averaged 12 kills at match in league and 15 in the postseason, earned All-CIF second-team honors and all-league and All-Area first-team accolades.
Lagmay is back for her senior season, and Real said she is better than ever.
“She’s just improved so much since she first came into the program and she should continue that this season,” Real said. “I think she learned a lot from last season.”
Lagmay is by no means Burroughs’ only weapon. The team has a host of players who should make the Indians very formidable. Senior middle blocker Tatiana Sao, senior setters Jamie Loprecho and Trisha Diaz, senior opposite hitter Wendy Rolph, senior outside hitter Kayla Gurley and sophomore libero Traci Hamanaka lead the group.
“A lot of these girls have played varsity for a few years, so they know what to expect,” Real said. “We have nine returners from last year and seven seniors. They know how to play together.”
Real said he expects the biggest challenges in league to come from Arcadia and Pasadena.
The last time the Indians won a title was in 1994, when they captured a championship in the Foothill League under Coach Linda Murphy.
The Pioneers are dealing with the graduation of Heather Hansen, one of the most successful players in school history.
Led by Hansen, an outside hitter, the team rolled to a 23-3 record (7-1 in league) and won a share of the program’s first Liberty League championship since 1999.
Under Coach James Jimenez, Providence had a historic run in playoffs, including a victory against No. 3-seeded Pasadena Poly on the road in the quarterfinals.
Unfortunately for the Pioneers, they fell in the semifinals to host Arrowhead Christian Academy, 25-24, 25-21, 25-20.
Girls’ volleyball was only the third sport in Providence history to advance to a CIF semifinal. The Pioneer baseball team won a Small Schools championship in 1986 and the 2006 boys’ volleyball team — coached by Jimenez — advanced to a title match.
Hansen, who had 267 kills and 204 digs, was the Liberty League Player of the Year and was named an All-CIF Division IV first-team selection.
Fortunately for the Pioneers, they do have two key returning players in senior outsider hitters Fio and Galia Sotomayor, who are twins. Last season, Galia tallied 215 kills and 189 digs and was an All-CIF second-team selection. Fio (156 kills) was a first-team all-league pick.
“We are going to rely a lot on both of them this season,” Jimenez said. “They are going to be our leaders and they came to the realization over the summer that they are going to have to help us out a lot.”
The Pioneers also have accomplished players in seniors Kelly Rosales and Anna Adraneda and Kristin Huynh, who will be the team’s setter.
“In our league, I’m pretty sure Viewpoint has a lot of their players back,” Jimenez said. “They should be tough.”
The Guards have lost a host of players from a 2006 squad that won 11 matches and enjoyed a fine turnaround after going 0-16 the previous season.
“We had some success last season, but as a team, they just didn’t get along,” Bell-Jeff Coach Miguel Segura said. “We had a lot of problems and some of the girls just didn’t like one another.
“The good thing is that this year’s team seems to get along a lot better and there isn’t that bitterness and dissension.”
One of the squad’s key returners is senior outside hitter Jessica Alvarez, who, along with senior middle blocker Angela DeVara and junior Itria Licitra, will be the Guards’ captains.
Also returning is sophomore back-row specialist Kim Van Dyke, who Segura said is very athletic. Junior outside hitter Taylor Nelson is also expected to contribute.
Segura said he expects his team’s toughest league competition to come from St. Matthias.
“The girls want to win the league outright, and not have to share it like we did last season,” Segura said. “But we will just have to see what happens and how we are going to play.”
Sarah Brown (formally Goodlaw) takes over the Bulldogs program.
“We have only nine girls on the varsity, and only returners,” Brown said. “I held some tryouts earlier this week to see if we could get some more players.
“But we have a real good group and they are working hard.”
The two returners are senior middle blocker Tracy Luna and senior setter Claudia Martinez.
The team also includes junior middle blocker Tess Butera, junior outside hitters Jocelyn Mazariegos and Jessica Dye, sophomore outside hitter Iris Mora, sophomore opposite hitter Alex Silvers, junior libero Kelsy Moise and freshmen libero Francesca Viray.
“I think in league Arcadia should be very good,” said Brown who coached junior varsity last season. “And although Pasadena lost their best player, they should be tough. Also, Burroughs is going to have a good team.
“We just want to improve as a team and compete against the other league teams.”
Providence won a share of the Liberty League championship and advanced to the CIF Southern Section Division IVAA semifinals for the first time in school history.
Burroughs also enjoyed a fine postseason run, advancing to the CIF Division IIA quarterfinals for the first time in 20 years.
Bellarmine-Jefferson won a share of the Santa Cruz League title and was successful in its opening Division IVA playoff match.
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This season, Providence, Bell-Jeff and Burbank have to regroup after losing their share of key players to graduation.
However, the Indians return almost their entire team, and the group is looking to make a run for their first league championship in 13 years.
“The girls played a lot during the summer and they have worked very hard,” said Burroughs Coach Edwin Real, last season’s All-Area coach of the year. “We’re excited about the season.”
With the season set to begin next week, here is a closer look at how the teams are shaping up:
The Indians enjoyed a remarkable turnaround in 2006, going 15-9 (10-4 for third place in the Pacific League). A year earlier, the team (3-15, 0-10) finished last in the Foothill League.
One of the reasons for that success was the play of outside hitter Karissa Lagmay. Lagmay, who averaged 12 kills at match in league and 15 in the postseason, earned All-CIF second-team honors and all-league and All-Area first-team accolades.
Lagmay is back for her senior season, and Real said she is better than ever.
“She’s just improved so much since she first came into the program and she should continue that this season,” Real said. “I think she learned a lot from last season.”
Lagmay is by no means Burroughs’ only weapon. The team has a host of players who should make the Indians very formidable. Senior middle blocker Tatiana Sao, senior setters Jamie Loprecho and Trisha Diaz, senior opposite hitter Wendy Rolph, senior outside hitter Kayla Gurley and sophomore libero Traci Hamanaka lead the group.
“A lot of these girls have played varsity for a few years, so they know what to expect,” Real said. “We have nine returners from last year and seven seniors. They know how to play together.”
Real said he expects the biggest challenges in league to come from Arcadia and Pasadena.
The last time the Indians won a title was in 1994, when they captured a championship in the Foothill League under Coach Linda Murphy.
The Pioneers are dealing with the graduation of Heather Hansen, one of the most successful players in school history.
Led by Hansen, an outside hitter, the team rolled to a 23-3 record (7-1 in league) and won a share of the program’s first Liberty League championship since 1999.
Under Coach James Jimenez, Providence had a historic run in playoffs, including a victory against No. 3-seeded Pasadena Poly on the road in the quarterfinals.
Unfortunately for the Pioneers, they fell in the semifinals to host Arrowhead Christian Academy, 25-24, 25-21, 25-20.
Girls’ volleyball was only the third sport in Providence history to advance to a CIF semifinal. The Pioneer baseball team won a Small Schools championship in 1986 and the 2006 boys’ volleyball team — coached by Jimenez — advanced to a title match.
Hansen, who had 267 kills and 204 digs, was the Liberty League Player of the Year and was named an All-CIF Division IV first-team selection.
Fortunately for the Pioneers, they do have two key returning players in senior outsider hitters Fio and Galia Sotomayor, who are twins. Last season, Galia tallied 215 kills and 189 digs and was an All-CIF second-team selection. Fio (156 kills) was a first-team all-league pick.
“We are going to rely a lot on both of them this season,” Jimenez said. “They are going to be our leaders and they came to the realization over the summer that they are going to have to help us out a lot.”
The Pioneers also have accomplished players in seniors Kelly Rosales and Anna Adraneda and Kristin Huynh, who will be the team’s setter.
“In our league, I’m pretty sure Viewpoint has a lot of their players back,” Jimenez said. “They should be tough.”
The Guards have lost a host of players from a 2006 squad that won 11 matches and enjoyed a fine turnaround after going 0-16 the previous season.
“We had some success last season, but as a team, they just didn’t get along,” Bell-Jeff Coach Miguel Segura said. “We had a lot of problems and some of the girls just didn’t like one another.
“The good thing is that this year’s team seems to get along a lot better and there isn’t that bitterness and dissension.”
One of the squad’s key returners is senior outside hitter Jessica Alvarez, who, along with senior middle blocker Angela DeVara and junior Itria Licitra, will be the Guards’ captains.
Also returning is sophomore back-row specialist Kim Van Dyke, who Segura said is very athletic. Junior outside hitter Taylor Nelson is also expected to contribute.
Segura said he expects his team’s toughest league competition to come from St. Matthias.
“The girls want to win the league outright, and not have to share it like we did last season,” Segura said. “But we will just have to see what happens and how we are going to play.”
Sarah Brown (formally Goodlaw) takes over the Bulldogs program.
“We have only nine girls on the varsity, and only returners,” Brown said. “I held some tryouts earlier this week to see if we could get some more players.
“But we have a real good group and they are working hard.”
The two returners are senior middle blocker Tracy Luna and senior setter Claudia Martinez.
The team also includes junior middle blocker Tess Butera, junior outside hitters Jocelyn Mazariegos and Jessica Dye, sophomore outside hitter Iris Mora, sophomore opposite hitter Alex Silvers, junior libero Kelsy Moise and freshmen libero Francesca Viray.
“I think in league Arcadia should be very good,” said Brown who coached junior varsity last season. “And although Pasadena lost their best player, they should be tough. Also, Burroughs is going to have a good team.
“We just want to improve as a team and compete against the other league teams.”
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