South Pasadena completed a trifecta Saturday by winning titles in three different sports, but the most thrilling performance came in the Division 4 final at the CIF State Girls Volleyball Championships at Santiago Canyon College in Orange.
The Tigers rallied from a two-set deficit against Hilmar to produce a 24-26, 24-26, 25-14, 25-16, 15-8 victory to secure the first state crown in program history.
South Pasadena’s remarkable comeback marked the first time since 2017 that any girls volleyball team dropped the first two sets in a state final and battled back to capture the title, when San Jose Presentation achieved the feat against Rancho Bernardo, also in the Division 4 championship match.
The Tigers also won the CIF-Southern Section Division 4 girls cross country title, as well as the Southern California Regional Division 3 boys water polo crown, both at Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut.
All three championships were the first for each program for South Pasadena (18-16), which had previously suffered a four-set loss in 2019 to San Francisco Lowell in the Division 3 state final.
Evan Taylor had 14 kills, 30 assists, 18 digs and eight blocks for the Tigers, who also received 16 kills and seven blocks from Senya Dorny, as well as Ava Conti contributing 14 kills and 16 digs.
Bella Ventura added 12 kills and 10 digs for South Pasadena, with Ella Garner recording 22 digs and 13 assists, in addition to Kayla Yau contributing 11 assists.
The Tigers produced five-set victories in each of their final three matches, rallying from a two-set deficit Nov. 16 in the regional semifinals against Crossroads and winning the final two sets Nov. 19 in the regional final against Walnut.
Hilmar (30-10) had played in only two five-set matches during the regular season and none in a two-month span prior to Saturday’s final.
The Yellowjackets, who were led by 16 kills and four digs from Alyssa Colston, were seeking their first championship after also losing to San Luis Obispo in five sets in 2018 in the Division 4 state final.
Stella Pires contributed 32 assists and 13 digs, Finley Rosa added 11 kills and 21 digs and Teygan Horstmeier had 21 digs and six assists for Hilmar, which also received eight kills from Emily Barroso.
Palos Verdes girls volleyball | Photo courtesy of Palos Verdes
Palos Verdes 3, Pleasanton Foothill 0
Patience and perseverance paid off for Palos Verdes, which rebounded from losses in the Division 1 state final the past two years to capture the first championship in program history with a 25-11, 25-14, 25-23 victory Friday at Santiago Canyon College.
The Sea Kings (27-9) suffered a five-set loss to Ross Branson in 2022 and endured a four-set setback last season against San Jose Valley Christian, looking to avoid joining Stockton St. Mary’s in 1994-96 as only the second program to fall in the Division 1 final three consecutive years.
Kaci Demaria had 24 kills and four digs, accounting for more than half the offense for Palos Verdes. Demaria recorded more kills than any athlete in the six state championship matches.
Mallory LaBreche added nine kills, 28 assists and 11 digs, with sister Molly LaBreche producing 22 digs and seven assists, in addition to six digs and three aces from Ava Hassanein for the Sea Kings.
Pleasanton Foothill (30-11) was making its first appearance in the Division 1 state final since being swept by Los Alamitos in 2006.
Paige Nelson recorded 19 assists, seven digs and four blocks for the Falcons, who were overwhelmed in the opening set, resulting in 10 hitting errors and only four kills as a team.
Kaitlyn Vogel had eight kills and eight digs, Kaycie Burdick contributed seven kills and eight digs, with Lulu Hoenninger adding seven kills and three blocks for Pleasanton Foothill.
San Ramon Valley girls volleyball | Photo courtesy of San Ramon Valley
San Ramon Valley 3, Bakersfield Centennial 1
The Wolves (31-9) made the most of their debut in a state final, overcoming an early deficit to earn a 22-25, 25-15, 25-23, 25-23 in the Division 2 championship Saturday at Santiago Canyon College.
Lucy Chertock had 19 kills, 10 digs and five blocks for San Ramon Valley, which denied Bakersfield Centennial (30-11) a third state championship.
Ellie Hunt added 16 kills, Kate Stern recorded 42 assists and 11 digs, with Ali Cook and Hope Diekmann both contributing 10 digs each for the Wolves, who also received seven kills, four digs and three blocks from Sophia Vella.
The Golden Hawks, who won a Division 2 title in 1995 and the Division 1 championship in 1996 following a loss in the Division 3 final in 1994, were led by 15 kills, 14 digs and three blocks from Ila Rose.
After a combined nine hitting errors in the first two sets, Centennial was undone by a total of 22 miscues in the final two sets, allowing San Ramon Valley to prevail.
Jordan Kennedy had 12 kills, Morgan George added 40 assists and 11 digs, with Alex Marshall contributing nine kills for the Golden Hawks, who received a combined 23 digs from Natalie Alcorn and Kathryn Wulff-Smith, as well as six kills and five digs from Brooke Towle.
Central Valley Christian girls volleyball | Photo courtesy of Central Valley Christian
Central Valley Christian 3, Monta Vista 0
Lola Highstreet had 10 kills and four digs for the Cavaliers, who overcame three previous losses in state championship matches to secure the Division 3 title with a 25-15, 25-22, 26-24 victory Saturday at Santiago Canyon College.
Central Valley Christian (38-9) was trying to avoid becoming only the third girls volleyball program in California prep history to be winless in at least four state finals appearances, rebounding from losses in the Division 5 championship match in 2007, the Division 3 title contest in 2013 and again in Division 4 in 2022.
Ally Lane added nine kills, seven digs and five aces, with Emma Mihalcin contributing eight kills and 10 digs, Emerson Kroeze recording 28 assists, five kills and four digs, Cooper Piepgrass delivering 13 digs and five assists, in addition to five kills and three blocks from Sienna Shaffer for the Cavaliers.
Monta Vista (26-11), making its debut in a state championship match, received 15 kills and seven digs from Kiana Mark, with sister Kyree Mark adding seven kills, 10 digs, nine assists and four aces.
Chloe Chen had five kills, 13 assists and nine digs for the Matadors.
Immanuel girls volleyball | Photo courtesy of Immanuel
Immanuel 3, Bell Gardens 0
The Eagles captured their first Division 5 state championship since 2001 and the third title in program history with a 25-17, 25-11, 25-15 triumph Friday at Santiago Canyon College.
Spencer Horn had eight kills, six digs, four blocks and four aces for Immanuel (25-21), which also secured a Division 5 crown in 1997.
Addison Semper added eight kills, nine digs and two aces, with Tori Visser contributing 16 assists, six digs and three kills, as well as Claire Horn recording five kills and four digs for Immanuel.
Addie Krause dished out 11 assists and Mary Degraw accumulated 10 digs for the Eagles, who won for the third time in four championship appearances, bouncing back from being swept by Head-Royce from Oakland in the 2016 Division 5 final.
Bell Gardens (24-19) struggled in its debut in a state final, amassing 27 hitting errors and producing only 16 kills.
Maggie Chairez had five kills and six digs, with Leyah Morales adding 12 assists, eight digs and three kills for the Lancers, who also received five kills from Karina Toro and a combined 26 digs by Emily Hernandez and Chelsea Renteria.