Girls’ Volleyball Preview: Glendale Adventist Academy goes for another title
There have been plenty of changes since the Glendale Adventist Academy girls’ volleyball team reached the program’s zenith when it won the CIF Southern Section Division IX championship last season.
Since capturing the school’s first CIF title, coach Gared Luquet resigned and several key starters graduated. The Cougars were moved to Division VII after the CIF Southern Section office unveiled its latest division realignments.
Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy, Holy Family and St. Monica qualified for the playoffs in 2017. Crescenta Valley, Flintridge Prep, Glendale and Hoover missed the postseason and will look to get back on track.
In addition to Glendale Adventist, Crescenta Valley and St. Monica will have new coaches.
Here is a closer look at the teams.
GLENDALE ADVENTIST ACADEMY
The Cougars will look vastly different, on and off the court, after winning 24 matches and qualifying for the state tournament last season. After Luquet, last season’s All-Area Girls’ Volleyball Coach of the Year, departed, Glendale Adventist turned to assistant Sabrina Shahbandeh to take over. Shahbandeh was Luquet’s assistant the past three seasons.
Still, expectations will be high for the Cougars, who tied for second in the Liberty League last season and defeated Santa Clarita Christian in the CIF title contest, in their quest to win another CIF crown.
“In winning CIF, we gained a lot of experience and we now know what it takes to win,” Shahbandeh said. “We lost six players to graduation, yet we still will look to get better. We’ll have fun and keep trying to get better.
“It’s exciting that people now know a lot about our program and there will be a lot of challenges ahead.”
Glendale Adventist will return sophomore outside hitter Elyse Knipschild, a reigning All-Area first-team pick who contributed 281 kills and 259 digs in 2017. Knipschild, who received All-CIF and all-league accolades, will be joined by senior setter Liana Salvador and junior libero Gabriela Diaz.
FLINTRIDGE SACRED HEART ACADEMY
The Tologs qualified for the Division I playoffs after placing fourth in the Mission League and lost to Redondo Union in the first round. They will now be in the Division I/II pool.
Flintridge Sacred Heart will bring back plenty of talent, including senior outside hitter Megan Lund, senior libero Ryan Dubb and senior middle blockers Julia Powers and Skylar Bowyer. Lund helped the Tologs win 20 matches and recorded a team-high 384 kills and added 225 digs en route to being named to the All-Area first team.
“I definitely like our lineup; we’re not tall, but we are dynamic,” Flintridge Sacred Heart coach Ernest Banaag said. “I think we’ll do better than last year.
“We have some younger players who could make an impact. Marymount will be the favorite to win our league again, but you’ll see us be competitive.”
HOLY FAMILY
Plenty of good things happened last season for Holy Family. The Gaels won 17 matches and finished runner-up in the Horizon League. Holy Family advanced to the second round of the Division IX playoffs, leaving coach Robert Bringas with a positive outlook entering 2018.
“We had quite a season last year and that came after losing a few players to graduation,” said Bringas, whose team will now reside in Division VIII. “We competed last season because we had a lot of passion and we’re just looking to carry that over into this season.
“We have a lot of key returners back and will look for some new players to step in and fill in at different roles.”
Holy Family will bring back junior outside hitter Meghann Velasquez, sophomore libero Kaylee Hernandez and senior setter Michelle Barraza.
Velasquez notched 296 kills, 433 digs and 45 aces and finished with double-digit kills in 17 matches en route to receiving an All-Area first-team nod last season.
ST. MONICA ACADEMY
There will be a change at the top for the Crusaders, who saw veteran coach Darren Bradley turn over the duties to Christie Roniger. Bradley led St. Monica to a CIF championship in 2015 and is a former All-Area Girls’ Volleyball Coach of the Year.
St. Monica took second in the International League last season after winning seven straight league titles. The Crusaders lost a Division IX first-round match to de Toledo. They are now in Division VIII.
St. Monica returns senior middle hitter Grace Brady and senior opposite Anna Urrea.
“Based on what I saw from our summer practices, there are a lot of hard workers and there’s a lot of potential,” Roniger said. “I’m big on many of the fundamentals, ranging from ball control to playing smart defense.”
CRESCENTA VALLEY
For the third straight season, Crescenta Valley will have a new coach. Matt Simons is the latest addition, replacing Travis Dancer.
Simons arrives at Crescenta Valley after coaching at Calabasas from 2012-16. He’ll field a squad with around 10 seniors while looking to climb in the Pacific League following a fifth-place finish last season.
“I think we’re all ready to take on some new challenges and win some matches,” Simons said. “The players are willing to listen and they’ve approached things well during practice.
“We’ve talked about not getting discouraged if they are struggling in a drill. They are willing to take feedback.”
The Falcons, who were in Division III last season and will now be in Division IV, will feature a lineup that will include senior outside hitter Teny Noordermeer, senior middle blocker Kaitlyn Karsten, senior setter Maddie Blohm and junior outside hitter Lizzy Kerman.
FLINTRIDGE PREP
Though the Rebels didn’t qualify for the playoffs last season, Flintridge Prep coach Sean Beattie sees them turning the corner.
Flintridge Prep finished fifth in the Prep League in 2017. However, the building Rebels didn’t lose any starters to graduation, providing Beattie with hope the Rebels can put things together.
“That will be a big plus in not losing any starters,” said Beattie, whose team will stay in Division VI. “We feel like we have players who can step in and handle any role given to them.
“It’s probably going to be one of the most talented teams I’ve had in the last 15 years. On the other hand, it will be one of the toughest leagues in the last 10 years. We’ll see how things pan out.”
Leading the charge for the Rebels will be senior opposite Courtney Johnson, junior outside hitter Jada Gritton and junior libero Ellen Chang. Johnson contributed 149 digs and 142 kills and picked up All-Area accolades last season.
GLENDALE
Coach Jeffrey Thai will begin his second season at Glendale. The Nitros took sixth in the Pacific League in 2017.
Thai and Co. will look to make their way up the league standings, backed by the return of three key starters in senior outside hitter Saku Yosioka, senior middle blocker Clara Georges and sophomore setter Sabrina Songco.
“We’re looking pretty good and I think we’ll be a little stronger,” Thai said. “We feel like we’ve added some more depth and we’ll try to challenge for a playoff spot.”
Glendale will reside in Division IV after being in Division V last season.
HOOVER
The Tornadoes were seventh in the Pacific League last season. Hoover will remain in Division V.
Hoover will turn to returning starters in senior outside hitter Breanne Huynh, junior outside hitter Isabella Abadia and junior setter Synnove Ordillo.
“It will be exciting to go up against some of the bigger teams in our league,” Hoover coach Danny Seranian said. “Our team will be competitive and I like their attitude a lot.”
Twitter: @TCNCharlesRich
