Girls Volleyball predictions and more
Correspondent Andrew Campa is keeping everyone up to date on girls volleyball, and has a lengthy preview on our Star-News website. And click below, because Campa has made his top ten predictions for the 2006 season. Your comments are always appreciated....
Drum rol.....
No. 10 Arcadia Holds off Hard-Charging Pasadena for
Pacific League Title
PHS coach Ronnie Joseph has made strides diversifying
his offense. But the Bulldogs still need outside
hitter Kimmee Roleder to dominate in order to beat
most teams. Arcadia has great balance and poise.
No. 9 Prep League Power Chadwick Will Be Beaten This Year
After going undefeated in league for two years,
Chadwick will be beaten by Mayfield. The Cubs are a
different team with Rachel Aragon and Susan Carlson
together. However, don’t expect Mayfield nor Westridge
to wrestle a Prep League title from Chadwick.
No. 8 Blair and Rosemead Will Both Win a Game
Both schools went winless last season. Coaches Rich
Huynh (BHS) and Linda Salcedo (RHS) will instill a
work-first mentality which will lead to a few wins.
No. 7 Gabrielino will extend its MVL league winning
streak to 29 games.
The Eagles return from last season’s 22-6, 10-0
campaign. While Gabrielino strengthened itself, the
majority of teams in the Mission Valley League stood
still. The only challenger is Mountain View HS.
No. 6 Mark Mina and La Salle Will Pull the Shocker
Despite losing several stars, Mina will deliver a Del
Rey League title. The Lancers are no longer in the
brutal Sunshine League with divisional champions
Marymount and Notre Dame. That experience will pay
dividends against weaker Bishop Amat and Bishop
Montgomery.
No. 5 Tologs Streak Gets Broken
After an amazing two-year run in which FSHA went
undefeated in the vaunted Mission League,
Harvard-Westlake will break the Tologs league winning
steak when both teams meet on Oct. 26 at HW. That game
will determine the winner of Mission League.
No. 4 La Canada (Rio Hondo League), San Gabriel (Almont)
and Alverno (Horizon) Won’t Be Touched in League.
Despite heavy turnover, don’t expect much change in
the pecking order. The Matadors and Jaguars have the
benefit of playing in weak leagues while La Canada
just brings in more talent then South Pas or San
Marino.
No. 3 The areas three toughest leagues this year will be
1. Sunshine, 2. Mission, 3. Del Rey.
Poor Ramona Convent will be lucky to win a Sunshine
League game. The Tologs will not dominate the Mission
League as in the past. La Salle will find success in
the Del Rey league despite several changes.
No. 2 The area’s most competitive league is the Prep
League.
Five of the seven teams finished with winning records
while four made the playoffs. This season will
probably look the same with Chadwick, Westridge,
Mayfield and Flintridge Prep all making the playoffs.
No. 1 The West San Gabriel Valley will have 15 more
schools make the playoffs.
Girls Volleyball proves to be the strongest fall sport
in the West San Gabriel Valley with more then half the
participating teams qualifying for the postseason.
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About this blog
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Melendez worked as a correspondent for the San Gabriel Valley Tribune for three years and later landed a job as a freelance writer at the Los Angeles Times before accepting an offer at The Orange County Register covering high schools. Melendez covered Major League Soccer at The Register for three years before being promoted to report on the Lakers, Angels and Dodgers for the Web. Melendez also worked for the Daytona Beach News-Journal, Fresno Bee, Oakland Tribune and The Boston Globe. E-mail opinions, suggestions and tips to miguel.melendez@sgvn.com. |
A tall Mayfield team takes it in 4 games against a small, scrappy Maranatha squad. The difference came down to Mayfield having several big men who could hit; and without a tall block from Maranatha the hits were mostly uncontested. With their starting OH in an arm sling, Maranatha used their freshman setter as a surprisingly dominating OH. Impressive, but not enough back-up to pull out the win. Mayfield could be a contender this year.
A tall Mayfield team takes it in 4 games against a small, scrappy Maranatha squad. The difference came down to Mayfield having several big men who could hit; and without a tall block from Maranatha the hits were mostly uncontested. With their starting OH in an arm sling, Maranatha used their freshman setter as a surprisingly dominating OH. Impressive, but not enough back-up to pull out the win. Mayfield could be a contender this year.
Btchild,
Westridge (9-1, 2-0) defeated Mayfield 25-14, 25-11, 25-18. Mayfield is 1-2, 0-2.
Not sure why the score wasn't in the paper.
Didn't Westridge play Mayfield last night? I didn't see a score in the Star News.
Maranatha hasn't really been mentioned as a contender, but they are starting out strong. Like Burroughs and Mayfield (who should be very tough to beat), they have a very strong freshman S/OH who's fresh off of a summer of national training with USA Volleyball and a top club team...four seniors who bring leadership and experience, Three very athletic sophs with club experience and a wicked swing, and a 6-foot junior who's coming into her own. I think that after the recent sweep of Flint Prep and Temple City--Maranatha might turn some heads this year.
Tongva's Dawg,
To answer your question about the Gabrielino-Bishop's game, it's going to be challenging for Gabrielino. The Eagles (9-5) will face a Knights (2-0) team that is returning nine players from last year's 25-11 campaign which included an appearance in the CIF-San Diego Section Division IV championship game. For good measure, the Knights also advanced to the semi-finals of the California Division IV state playoffs, losing to Marymount.
If the Bishops were in the West San Gabriel Valley, they would be ranked No. 1 or 2. While Gabrielino is a strong team this year, the travel and competition will likely be too much to overcome. I expect the Bishops to win in 3 sets, maybe 4.
To Sideout Sara,
While Flintridge Prep was ranked No. 10 in our preseason poll, they're struggling at the wrong time. Already 1-4, the Rebels next three games are against last season's top three teams in the Prep League- Chadwick, Westridge and Mayfield.
They could realistically be 1-7, 0-4 midway through the season in the area's most competitive league. If they don't pull an upset somewhere in the next three games Poly or Rio Hondo Prep will leap-frog them for that last playoff spot in league.
OK...though you mentioned Flintridge Prep briefly, where's more mention of their talent?
They're not chopped liver.
now Gabrielino GVB is gonna head down to SD to play "Bishop"'s--- how do they look compared to Gabby? anyone gonna venture down there?
Watch for Burroughs and Burbank to pose a threat to the Pacific League's powers of the past. Next weeks games may tell alot about the outcome of the League.