Feather River In Frontrunner Role At State Women's Volleyball Tournament
(Edited on Dec. 1) Up until 2013, the North region always served as second fiddle to the South in California Community College women's volleyball. But when Cabrillo won the North's first-ever state title in 2013, everything started to shift. The North has won six of the last eight state tournaments and last year performed a first by having an all-NorCal final four after eliminating the four South seeds in the 2021 state quarterfinals.
While this year's four South representatives hope to change the current trend, the North could be destined for yet another state title in the form of highly-motivated, Feather River College, a team leading the state in victories (33) with eight more than the next highest win state participant.
On a 31-match win streak, the Golden Eagles are a clear-cut favorite going into the CCCAA State Championships at Fresno City College this Friday-Sunday, Dec. 2-4. Four quarterfinals matches take place on Friday, then two semifinals on Saturday, and finally the championship match on Sunday at 2 p.m.
Top NorCal seed San Joaquin Delta, #2 Feather River, #3 American River and #4 College of San Mateo are joined by SoCal's #1 Moorpark, #2 Orange Coast, #3 Grossmont and #4 College of the Canyons as they make up the state tourney field.
American River is making a remarkable fourth straight appearance at the state tourney while Feather River and Grossmont have each made it for a third straight trip. Canyons is returning for a second consecutive state tourney.
Of the top seeds, the top 4 North all advanced while in the South, the #3, #5, #9 and #10 seeds advanced to the state tourney. All of those then in turn take the official South 1-to-4 seed spots for the tournament.
Nine of the 12 All-State players and seven of the nine All-Americans will be on display at the state tourney. Five of those players were conference most valuable players.
Here are capsules of the eight teams going for the 2022 state title:
NORTH
SAN JOAQUIN DELTA COLLEGE, 25-3, Big 8 Conference champions
RPI Seeding: #1 in North
Mascot: Mustangs
Head Coach: Molly Hummel, State NorCal Coach of the Year
Road to Fresno: swept #16 De Anza, beat #8 Hartnell in four sets
State Tourney Appearances: 18, last in 2017
Highest Finish at State Tourney: 2nd place, 2002, 2005, 2017
Record This Season v. State Opponents: 0-2 v. Feather River, 2-1 v. American River
Current Win Streak: 2
Sweeps: 23
5-Set Matches: 1-0 (season opener win over Hartnell)
Top Players: AVCA All-American 2nd Team, All-State, All-Big 8 1st Team OH Kiyah Irby; All-State OH, Big 8 MVP OH Savannah LeBarre, All-Big 8 1st Team setter Ellie Crowell, All-Big 8 1st Team libero Angela Biazon, All-Big 8 2nd Team MB Bella Cormack
Random Fact: Delta has the most state tourney appearances of any North team at now 18, but has yet to win a state title.
Quarterfinals Matchup: Friday, Dec. 2, v. S4 Canyons, 7 p.m.
FEATHER RIVER COLLEGE, 33-1, Golden Valley Conference champions
RPI Seeding: #2 in North
Mascot: Golden Eagles
Head Coach: Sarah Ritchie
Road to Fresno: swept #15 Modesto, swept #10 West Valley
State Tourney Appearances: 6, last in 2021
Highest Finish at State Tourney: state champions in 2019
Record This Season v. State Opponents: 2-0 v. San Joaquin Delta, 0-1 v. American River, 2-0 v. San Mateo
Current Win Streak: 31
Sweeps: 28
5-Set Matches: 1-1 (lost to American River, Aug. 27, beat Fresno City, Sept. 24)
Top Players: All-American 1st Team, All-State, Golden Valley Conference MVP setter Nellie Stevenson, All-State, All-GVC 1st Team, opposite Hannah Taylor, All-GVC 1st Team OH Carissa Chainey, All-GVC 1st Team MB Sydnee Row, All-GVC 1st Team libero Ava Saiers, All-GVC 1st Team OH Eliana Sheridan
Random Fact: Last season, Feather River was the #1-ranked team in the regular season and had a 32-1 record when it was beaten in the state semifinals by eventual state champion Fresno City.
Quarterfinals Matchup: Friday, Dec. 2, v. S3 Grossmont, 1 p.m.
AMERICAN RIVER COLLEGE, 23-4, Big 8 Conference, 2nd Place
RPI Seeding: #3 in North
Mascot: Beavers
Head Coach: Carson Lowden
Road to Fresno: swept #14 Monterey Peninsula, beat #6 Sierra in four sets
State Tourney Appearances: 11, last in 2021
Highest Finish at State Tourney: state champions in 2018
Record This Season v. State Opponents: 1-2 v. San Joaquin Delta, 1-0 v. Feather River, 1-1 v. San Mateo
Current Win Streak: 10
Sweeps: 17
5-Set Matches: 1-2 (season opener win over Feather River, Aug. 27, lost to San Mateo, Sept. 10, lost to Folsom Lake, Oct. 5)
Top Players: All-American 2nd Team, All-State, All-Big 1st Team OH Awelina Fakalata, All-Big 8 1st Team MB Aurora Meneghetti, All-Big 8 1st Team libero Aubrey Miller, All-Big 8 2nd Team RS Shanaley Iakopo
Random Fact: In 2018, American River also was the second place finisher in the Big 8 when it won its first-ever state title.
Quarterfinals Matchup: Friday, Dec. 2, v. S2 Orange Coast, 4 p.m.
COLLEGE OF SAN MATEO, 22-3, Coast Conference North Division champions
RPI Seeding: #4 in North
Mascot: Bulldogs
Head Coach: Katie Goldhahn
Road to Fresno: swept #13 Taft, beat #12 Cabrillo in four sets
State Tourney Appearances: 1st ever in 2022
Record This Season v. State Opponents: 0-2 v. Feather River, 1-1 v. American River
Current Win Streak: 17
Sweeps: 12
5-Set Matches: 3-0 (beat American River, Sept. 10, beat Sierra, Sept. 14, beat Fresno City, Oct. 1)
Top Players: All-American 3rd Team, All-State, Coast North MVP OH Naomie Cremoux, All-NorCal Region, All-Coast-N 1st Team MB Valerie Bruk, All-Coast-N 1st Team setter Angelina Estrada, All-Coast-N 1st Team libero Ashley Chacon, All-Coast-N 2nd Team OH Tui Saluni, All-Coast-N 2nd Team MB Grace Thayer
Random Fact: Coach Goldhahn gave birth to a baby boy Blake in October and is a part of history in directing a state tourney qualifier a little more than a month later.
Quarterfinals Matchup: Friday, Dec. 2, v. S1 Moorpark, 10 a.m.
SOUTH
MOORPARK COLLEGE, 18-4, Western State Conference North Division, 2nd Place
RPI Seeding: #3 in South
Mascot: Raiders
Head Coach: Adam Black
Road to Fresno: (original #3 seed) swept #14 Rio Hondo, beat #11 Santa Monica in four sets
State Tourney Appearances: 5, last in 2002
Highest Finish at State Tourney: 4th place in 2002
Record This Season v. State Opponents: 1-0 v. Grossmont, 1-0 v. Canyons
Current Win Streak: 7
Sweeps: 10
5-Set Matches: 2-1 (beat Bakersfield, Sept. 16, lost to Santa Monica, Sept. 23, beat Santa Barbara City, Nov. 4)
Top Players: WSC North Libero of the Year Larissa Dakoske, All-WSC North 1st Team setter Brooke Bunker, All-WSC-N 1st Team OH Cashe Olswang, All-WSC-N 2nd Team MB Ryann Gaglio, All-WSC-N 2nd Team OH Valentina Garza
Random Fact: Moorpark is making its first trip to a state tourney in 20 years when sets were scored to 30 points.
Quarterfinals Matchup: Friday, Dec. 2, v. N4 San Mateo, 10 a.m.
ORANGE COAST COLLEGE, 21-5, Orange Empire Conference, 2nd Place
RPI Seeding: #5 in South
Mascot: Pirates
Head Coach: Chuck Cutenese
Road to Fresno: (original #5 seed) beat #12 Cypress in four sets, beat #13 Santa Barbara City in five sets
State Tourney Appearances: 13, last in 2009
Highest Finish at State Tourney: state champions in 1978, 1980, 1982, 2005, 2006, 2009
Record This Season v. State Opponents: did not play any of the participants in regular season
Current Win Streak: 5
Sweeps: 17
5-Set Matches: 1-1 (lost to Cypress, Nov. 4, beat Santa Barbara City, regional finals, Nov. 26)
Top Players: All-State, All-Orange Empire Conference 1st Team MB Paige Cutwright, All-OEC 1st Team libero Emily Payne, All-OEC 2nd Team OH Brisa Zapata-Reaves, All-OEC 2nd Team setter Grace Holmgren
Random Fact: Despite a 12-year absence from the state tourney, Orange Coast Coach Cutenese has already directed three of the college's state titles, two accomplished in the City of Fresno at Selland Arena in 2005 and Fresno Pacific University in 2006.
Quarterfinals Matchup: Friday, Dec. 2, v. N3 American River, 4 p.m.
GROSSMONT COLLEGE, 23-3, Pacific Coast Athletic Conference champions
RPI Seeding: #9 in South
Mascot: Griffins
Head Coach: Brooke Callahan
Road to Fresno: (original #9 seed) beat #8 Pasadena City in five sets, beat #1 Ventura in four sets
State Tourney Appearances: 13, last in 2021
Highest Finish at State Tourney: state champions in 1987, 1989
Record This Season v. State Opponents: 0-1 v. Moorpark, 0-1 v. Canyons
Current Win Streak: 21
Sweeps: 16
5-Set Matches: 3-0 (beat Mt. San Jacinto, Sept. 14, beat San Diego Mesa, Nov. 2, beat Pasadena City, Round 2 regionals, Nov. 22)
Top Players: All-American 3rd Team, All-State, PCAC MVP OH Madi Bogle, All-PCAC 1st Team MH Kelsey Carter, All-PCAC 1st Team setter Chelsee Trendler, All-PCAC 1st Team OH Brooke Miller, All-PCAC 2nd Team libero Lauren Dumo, All-PCAC 2nd Team MH Aly Guise, All-PCAC 2nd Team RS Amanda Pena
Random Fact: Coach Callahan became interim head coach of Grossmont in 2019 and has seen her teams reach the state tourney in all three years (2019, 2021, 2022) she has directed the program.
Quarterfinals Matchup: Friday, Dec. 2, v. N2 Feather River, 1 p.m.
COLLEGE OF THE CANYONS, 20-8, Western State Conference South Division champions
RPI Seeding: #10 in South
Mascot: Cougars
Co-Head Coaches: Clay Timmons, Lisa Hooper
Road to Fresno: (original #10 seed) swept #7 Santa Ana, beat #2 Irvine Valley in four sets
State Tourney Appearances: 5, last in 2021
Highest Finish at State Tourney: 3rd Place, 2015, 2017
Record This Season v. State Opponents: 1-0 v. Grossmont, 0-1 v. Moorpark
Current Win Streak: 2
Sweeps: 16
5-Set Matches: 0-3 (lost to MiraCosta, Sept. 9, lost to Cypress, Sept. 10, lost to Pasadena City, Sept. 14)
Top Players: All-American 3rd Team, All-State, Western State Conference South MVP MB Aly Grodell, WSC South Libero of the Year Sabrina Sveiven, All-WSC-S 1st Team setter Jordan Nunez, All-WSC-S 1st Team OH/Opp. Kaelyn White, All-WSC-S 2nd Team MB Sahliyah Ravare, All-WSC-S 2nd Team OH Ariana Vargas
Random Fact: Canyons made it to state despite suffering two separate 3-match losing streaks this season. Last year, COC made it to state, recovering from a dismal 2-8 start to become the Cinderalla story of the postseason as an original #15 South seed.
Quarterfinals Matchup: Friday, Dec. 2, v. N1 San Joaquin Delta, 7 p.m.
Release by Robert Lewis, CCCWVCA SID/for CCCAA State Championships