Still unbeaten
Let’s track those Oregon teams that have yet to suffer any losses in 2023. By my count, there are 17 out there with a minimum of three wins:
6-0 – Sunset (6A); Sisters (3A); Coquille (3A)
5-0 – Dayton (3A); Crosshill Christian (1A); Powder Valley (1A)
4-0 – Grants Pass (6A); Marist Catholic (4A); North Bend (4A); Western Christian (2A); Lowell (2A)
3-0 – Jesuit (6A); Sprague (6A); Lebanon (5A); Amity (3A); Open Door Christian Academy (1A); Myrtle Point (1A)
Notes:
Crosshill Christian was 14-7 a year ago and made the first round of the state playoffs, despite most of its impact players being freshmen. One of those youngsters, setter Kenzie Clausen, has moved to a small school without an athletic program. The Eagles also graduated three senior starters. But most of those impact freshmen remain and are now deep impact sophomores, like OHs Ellie Bartel and Sierra Poush, middles Ryland Minnick and Zoey Baker and setter Hannah Dripps. Julie Bennett’s team also has a senior leader in big blocking Madison Hoffmeister. With three players 6-0 or taller, including the almost-6-4 Baker, this is a team that will be imposing at the net for a 1A school. If the setting comes along – and Dripps has been doing a great job early in the year – the sky’s the limit for this team, which has been challenged only by North Clackamas Christian through the first five matches. In that one, which went to Crosshill, 16-14 in the fifth, Baker had five aces, while Minnick and Bartel combined for 23 kills.
Grants Pass hasn’t been to the state playoffs since 2018, but that may change in 2023 after a 4-0 start, including a win over Canby; and the title at the season-opening Central Tournament. The Cavemen are off to their fast start despite graduating five senior starters from last year’s 6-14 team. The team is thriving behind senior setter Tayler Ziegler and junior RS Katie Spradley. Ziegler, a top swimmer, led Grants Pass in kills and blocks as an outside last season, but will set only after surgery for a torn labrum following swim season. Spradley is a major offensive threat and a strong server who has made noticeable improvements in her ball control. Others to watch include athletic senior attacker Brooklyn Wakefield and the defensive duo of Alaina Fisher and Sophia Small.
Marist Catholic was 12-7 a year ago. The Spartans graduated both their setter and libero, but have thrived early in the season with younger replacements, including freshman Lauren Rohman at the setter position. Her big targets include All-State OH Giana Elgarico, a junior; and middles Avy Roundy and Abigail Schombert. Freshman RS Kimmy Spurlock and senior transfer outside Avia Tuguldur also have been assets on a team that has height and has shown a penchant for being good defensively.
Western Christian hasn’t been competitive in a while, but the Pioneers have started quickly under first-year coach Sydney Fahndrich. They have benefited from the transfer of junior setter Lexi Herber, who set Salem Academy to a 2A state title a year ago; and the arrival of her freshmen sisters, 6-0 MB Addison Herber and 6-1 OH Avery Herber. Both are explosive offensively and difference makers in six rotations. The team has another strong freshman in OH Allison Chastain and two impact returnees, junior middle Elsa Hibler and sophomore RS Lilli Robinson.
Big Island Digs
Two Oregon schools went to Hawaii over Labor Day Weekend to compete in the 24-team Hawaii Labor Day Classic on the Big Island. Both Bend and West Salem found some success.
Bend, the 5A runners up last year, recovered from a 1-2 record on Day 1 to go 6-3 overall, with wins over schools from Hawaii, Arizona and California.
OH Chloe LeLuge had 98 kills, 75 digs, 15 aces and nine blocks for the Lava Bears, who won the Silver Bracket. Fellow OH Jasi Kjellesvik added 53 kills, 54 digs and 14 aces.
West Salem got a huge win over Northern California contender Rocklin en route to a perfect 3-0 Day1 but faltered thereafter, losing five straight to close the tournament to Island teams.
Bend head coach Kristin Cooper said the team made sure to do the tourist thing in addition to playing good volleyball. The players went on a Manta Ray snorkel dive, had a private tour to Green Sand Beach, South Point and Black Sand Beach and di some hikes around the volcano in the area.
“It was a jammed packed week of volleyball and tourism,” Cooper exclaimed.
News and notes
Amber Walker of Tigard had a monster match in last Tuesday’s five-set loss to North Salem. The senior outside recorded 26 kills and a whopping 45 digs! The digs total ties for seventh all-time…
Portland Christian’s 2-0 start includes wins over North Clackamas Christian and Vernonia. The Royals also did well at the Corbett Jamboree. The team got strong efforts from OHs Alyssa Baird and Finley Marine, MB Addison Johansson and setter Payton Becker.
Portland Christian won nine matches last year and will surely eclipse that mark in 2023.
Volleyball outlooks for eight additional teams
Varsity head coaches have been asked to submit outlook forms to OSAAtoday at this link: https://osaa.wufoo.com/forms/zppm34k1vdbwwn/.
Those forms were used to write ALL of the narratives in this Notebook and the last two Notebooks as well.
Any forms completed subsequently, by varsity head coaches or their proxies only, will appear in future Notebooks.
St. Mary’s of Medford made the 3A state tournament last year for the first time since 2010. The Crusaders graduated four starters off of their 19-win team, but bring back four in what will be a scrappy team with strong leadership. Players to watch include outsides Emma Johnson and Ada Bernard, MB Maddie Ward and senior Noelle Thicket, who will set this fall after playing on the right a year ago. This is not a tall team, so putting the ball away will be a source of concern, as have early-season injuries the team hopes to have healed soon.
Silverton has a new/old coach in Kristen Barnes, who took a hiatus in 2012 after 15 years. She should be able to guide the Foxes back to the state tournament again in 2023, as they are led by the state’s best player, senior S/OH Alexis Haury, a Washington recruit. The team also brings back All-League libero Gracelyn Jensen and welcomes transfer middle Olivia Boyd from Gervais to fill a graduation void. This is a hard-working, fast-improving team, but one lacking experience, as only three have regular varsity experience heading into the season.
Umpqua Valley Christian made the 1A state quarterfinals last fall for the first time in almost two decades. The Monarchs had no seniors last year, so there are high expectations to improve on the team’s 17-6 record in 2022. Senior twins Amy and Zoey Pappas, both setter/hitters; and senior libero Alli Hu are the team’s returning All-State players. Four juniors, middles Kira Butler and Emma Stiles, RS Jaz Cornell and defender Anjel Csernak, sophomore RS Avery Renyer and tall freshman middle Meagan Hellenthal round out the team’s core players.
Oakridge won 23 times in 2022 and made the state tournament. The Warriors graduated three starters, but will be aiming for their first 2A title since 1998 behind All-State performers Jade Snyder, a 5-9 senior OH; and Sadie Snyder, a 5-7 senior OH. Senior MB Kimberly Newberry also is back for a team that has depth and versatility and will need only experience to become very dangerous.
North Clackamas Christian won 31 times last fall and placed sixth in the 1A state tournament. The Saints hope to continue their decade-long streak of making the state tournament despite seeing the offense take a hit with the graduation of both starting outsides and both starting middles. Coach Grant Nelson does return All-Conference S/OH Olivia Woody, a 5-5 senior; as well as 5-5 junior OH Bekah Neely. Nelson said the NCC, bolstered by juniors Lacey Nelson and Natalie Holzworth and sophomore Noe Kanui, should be strong defensively and play smart. The Saints will lean heavily on last year’s JV team, which won 90 percent of its matches.
Philomath made the state playoffs and won 16 matches in 2022 despite playing without its top offensive player, who sat out injured. The Warriors get senior OH Clara Stanley back from injury and return four other All-League players: junior setter Ashleigh Brown, senior RS Ahnika Tryon, sophomore OH Shaylee May and junior libero Madison Provance. The team also features exciting newcomers Kynlee Albin, a small but explosive middle; and dynamic freshman attacker Nora Stanley. Philomath, which will pass and put the ball away consistently, has started 3-1 on the year, its only loss so far to undefeated 6A Sprague.
Two years removed from a state title, West Linn will be looking to contend in the TRL despite being very young. Two seniors, All-League setter Olivia Doel and 6-1 middle Jillian Colarchik; and junior outsides Alexa Cornell and Allison Hawk will lead the way.
Roseburg went 23-7 a year ago and placed sixth in 6A at the state tournament. The Riverhawks are starting Year 2 of the Lacy Pinard era without five of last year’s starters, including All-State setter Hayden Pinard. The team is young but eager, the coach said. Players to watch include senior setter Kaela Klopfenstein and senior middle Mikyla Cunningham, plus a quintet of juniors: pins Shaylee Swartzendruber and Grace Ipsen, middles Arlie Aasen and Channing Finlayson and libero Masyn Tabor.
College-Bound!
In this space, we list those players, playing Oregon high school volleyball in the current senior class and younger, who have made a commitment to attend a college or university of their choice and play volleyball. Please email [email protected] to add players to the list, using the format you see below.
Emma Fairbairn, 5-11 Sr. OH, Sheldon -- BIOLA
Bridget Gould, 5-11 Sr. RS, Marshfield - University of Oregon
Alexis Haury, 5-10 Sr. S, Silverton – University of Washington
Chloe LeLuge, 6-3 Sr. OH/MB, Bend – Cal Poly SLO
Lauryn Johnson, 6-1 Sr. OH, West Salem – Arizona State
Malena Mathis, 6-0 Sr. MB, South Salem – Western Oregon University
Kamden Mitchell, 5-10 Jr. S, Crescent Valley -- University of Oregon
Paige Thies, 6-2 Jr. OH, Oregon City -- University of Arizona
Gracie Vohs, 5-11 Sr. OH, Sisters – Saint Mary’s College of California
Amber Walker, 6-0 Sr. OH, Tigard -- Sonoma State
Brooke Williams, 6-1 Sr. MB, Oregon City -- Seattle Pacific
johnt@osaa.org
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