By Kevin Askeland
MaxPreps.com
With Pleasant Valley failing to reach the playoffs this year after winning eight straight Division 2 championships, a new champion would be crowned for the first time this century. The host Red Bluff Spartans finally prevailed in five games Saturday to defeat Foothill for the Northern Section crown.
Jaklyn Wheeler, a powerful 6-foot-2 junior outside hitter, delivered 23 kills in the win for the Spartans who claimed the fifth section title in school history. Red Bluff won 25-20, 22-25, 25-18, 18-25, 15-8.
Red Bluff defeated Foothill five times during the regular season, but the Cougars claimed the league championship with an 11-3 record. Red Bluff finished 10-4 in the Eastern Athletic League, but won the section title and will host a first-round Division 2 NorCal game on Tuesday. The Spartans are 24-16 overall while Foothill falls to 24-12.
Division 3
After watching Enterprise top the three-time defending Northern Section Division 3 champion West Valley Eagles in three games, it’s difficult to remember that the Hornets were 10-15 at one point and were in danger of not even qualifying for the playoffs.
But eight straight wins, including a 30-28, 25-21, 25-15 win over the Eagles, puts Enterprise at 18-16 on the season and gives the Hornets their 12th section volleyball championship – tying them with West Valley for the most team titles in section history.
Amber Hall was a big reason behind the win for the Hornets. The senior outside hitter had 14 kills in a back-and-forth first game that the Hornets won 30-28. She added nine more kills in game two including the final two points on powerful kills.
Hall stepped to the service line in game three and delivered two aces to go along with four kills. Ravien Lawson had the game-winning kill for the 25-15 win.
The loss dropped West Valley to 33-9 on the season. The two teams have met in the Division 3 finals every year for the past five seasons with Enterprise winning in 2004 and 2008 and West Valley winning three straight seasons in between.
Division 4
The Sutter Huskies won their fourth straight Northern Section Division 4 championship, but not without some serious competition from the third-seeded Central Valley Falcons.
Behind the play of 6-foot-1 sophomore middle hitter Breanna Mackie, Central Valley did something that only three other teams had done all year – win a game from the talented Huskies. Sutter had posted a 40-1 record heading into the playoffs and had lost only four games in that span. Sutter had won 24 straight matches and 63 straight games, including game one Saturday 25-23, before dropping the second game of Saturday’s Division 4 final to the Falcons, 25-21. Mackie had four kills and three blocks in the game two victory including a block on game point.
However the Huskies won the next two games in convincing fashion to capture the eighth section title in school history.
Sutter trailed 18-16 in game three, but outscored the Falcons 9-1 down the stretch for a 25-19 win. Jessica Moore had two kills and a block during the decisive stretch to lead the Huskies.
The two teams were tied at 7-7 in the fourth game, but Sutter gave up just three more points the rest of the way for a 25-10 win.
Whitney Lee scored 10 straight points, including three aces, while Moore added three kills and Sydney Meyer added two in the final game.
The Huskies will host a first-round NorCal playoff game on Nov. 25. The Huskies are 41-1 overall, which is the best record in school history. Over the past four seasons, Sutter is 156-12 and has won 392 games while losing just 41.
Central Valley will play on the road in the first round of the NorCal playoffs.
Division 5
The Hamilton Braves have had one of the more successful volleyball programs over the past two decades, but a better team always seemed to stand in the way of Hamilton’s shot at a Northern Section championship. Frustrating losses to the likes of Portola, Modoc, Etna and Liberty over the years kept the Braves out of the championship round every year since their last section crown in 1989.
However all of that frustration came to an end Saturday with Hamilton’s 3-1 win over the East Nicolaus Spartans in the Division 5 finals. The Braves overcame a first-game loss to their Mid-Valley League rival behind the play of sisters Tessa and Aubrey Bekendam and senior Elyse Anderson.
After losing to the Spartans 25-23 in the first game, the Braves were able to win the next two games in a comfortable manner. Tessa Bekendam had three kills and Anderson had an ace on gamepoint to lift the Braves to a 25-18 win in game two. Aubrey Bekendam added three kills and Tessa added three of her own to pace the Braves in a 25-17 win in game three for a 2-1 advantage.
The fourth game proved to be much closer. Every time Hamilton built a lead, the Spartans fought back to tie the score. With Hamilton leading 20-19, the Braves scored the next four points to take a 24-19 lead. East Nicolaus closed to within two points at 24-22, but Aubrey Bekendam scored on a dink over the East Nicolaus front line for the game-winning point, 25-22.
The Braves will host a first-round NorCal playoff game and up their overall record to 34-5. East Nicolaus, now 20-9-2, will play on the road in the first round.
Division 6
The Burney Raiders won the school’s third Northern Section volleyball championship, but the first since 1989 with a 16-25, 25-9, 25-14, 20-25, 15-8 win over Hayfork in the Division 6 championship game.
The Raiders had defeated the Timberjacks twice during tournament play early in the season without losing a game, but Burney had its hands full with Hayfork on Saturday as the ‘Jacks won the first game 25-16.
Hayfork trailed 14-13, but went on a 9-1 run to stake a big lead. Chelsea Reynolds had four kills during the run and Hayfork held on for the 25-16 victory.
Burney won the next two games in fairly convincing fashion. The Raiders had fewer service errors and got strong play from Kayla Jones, who had three aces including the gamewinner in a 25-9 win. Ashley Carlton proved to be the difference in the third game, coming up with five kills and a block. Jones also served the final seven points, including three aces, in a 25-14 win.
Hayfork scrambled, however, and broke a 20-20 tie in the fourth game with five straight points for a 25-20.
Burney easily outdistanced the ‘Jacks in the fifth game, though, taking a 13-4 lead before getting a 15-8 win on a Jones kill.
The Raiders end the season 33-2 while Hayfork ends the year at 22-3-2. Division 6 teams do not advance to the state playoffs.
