All-Area Girls’ Volleyball First Team
Ellis DeJardin, Junior, Outside Hitter, Flintridge Sacred Heart
Was a wonderful No. 2 punch in the Tologs’ attack and was second in the area with 463 kills, 392 assists, 213 digs and 40 aces. DeJardin picked up a Mission League first-team selection and helped the Tologs to a 23-10 record and a 5-3 mark in league for second place. Flintridge Sacred Heart advanced to the second round of the CIF Southern Section Division I playoffs.
Marin Grote, Senior, Outside Hitter, Burroughs
Pacific League tri-Player of the Year led the Indians to a 24-10 record and a 12-2 mark within league for second place. Grote finished with 182 kills in league play and tallied 74 kills in three postseason matches. Grote was named an All-CIF Division III first-team selection and one of the top 50 juniors in the country, according to prepvolleyball.com.
Patty Kerman, Senior, Outside Hitter, Crescenta Valley
The Falcons’ No. 1 option provided a strong presence on the court and was a Pacific League first-team selection after averaging 5.5 kills a game. Kerman propelled the Falcons to a third-place finish in league with a 10-4 mark and a 17-12 overall record. Crescenta Valley lost a heartbreaker, 3-2, in the first round of the Division IV playoffs.
Caleigh Paster, Senior, Middle Blocker, Burroughs
Was a strong force on the Pacific League runner-up Indians. Paster finished with 74 kills in 14 league matches. The Indians picked up playoffs wins over Dos Pueblos (3-0) and Los Osos (3-2) before falling in the quarterfinals of the Division III playoffs to Foothill, 3-1.
Talia Patterson, Junior, Outside Hitter, Providence
Though limited to only 12 matches because of a transfer, Patterson was a force for the Pioneers and still tallied 139 kills and 133 digs. The junior was clutch in the postseason as the Pioneers made a surprising run to the semifinals of the Division VIII playoffs. Patterson led or tied for the team-lead in kills in all four postseason matches along with the Pioneers’ one state playoff contest.
Emily Weirick, Freshman, Outside Hitter, La Cañada
It took a newcomer to return the Spartans to the postseason as the Rio Hondo League honorable mention finished with 253 kills, 301 digs and 49 aces. La Cañada finished with an 11-16 record and 5-5 record in the Rio Hondo League to place third and earn advancement to the Division III playoffs.
COACH OF THE YEAR
James Jimenez, Providence
No area team advanced further in the postseason than the Pioneers. Providence finished 20-9 and 3-5 to tie for third in the competitive Liberty League. Providence shined in the postseason, advancing to the semifinals for the first time since 2006 after upsetting top-seeded Covina Gladstone, 3-1, in the quarterfinals. The Pioneers were defeated in the semifinals by Katella, 3-1, and then lost in their first-ever state appearance, 3-0, at Point Loma in the CIF State Division IV playoffs.