By james art Three local teams still remain in the CIF-Southern Section volleyball playoffs as Oaks Christian, Newbury Park and Royal won second-round matches Saturday to advance to Wednesday’s quarterfinals.
Blasts from the past abound in this week’s playoff storylines.
Oaks Christian’s win in the second round gave the Lions another crack at a team that ended its season last year; Royal will face Bishop Diego in a playoff rematch; and Chris Forrest’s Newbury Park team punched their ticket to play at Santa Monica High, where his coaching career began in 2000.
A large selection from the Marmonte League, Newbury Park chewed up his opponents in the first two rounds.
The Panthers won back-to-back games in both of their playoff games, including a 25-11, 25-18, 25-10 defeat of Glendale on Saturday afternoon in a Division 4 second-round game to advance to the quarterfinals of Forrest’s First Sectional eight-year term.
“I honestly don’t even think my team realizes the magnitude of what they’re capable of doing,” Forrest said. “I’ve been telling them since we got pushed into the playoffs and getting the at-large bid that they have an opportunity to go big and make history.”
Sophomore Charlie Knoop was the standout in the first round for Desert Christian Academy, finishing with 18 kills and 13 digs. Against Glendale, it was senior outside hitter Mackenzie Holden who was “on fire,” Forrest said, putting down nearly every set she saw for a kill to post a .750 kill percentage.
“If the set isn’t perfect, she likes to tilt it or roll it into place,” said. “I encouraged her to deviate and challenge the block. … She was unstoppable tonight.”
Setter Kiera Overbeck finished with 38 assists against Glendale.
The Panthers will play at Santa Monica in the quarterfinals on Wednesday, where Forrest began his coaching career as a freshman/soph coach in 2000.
“Starting as a frosh/soph coach and now as a student 25 years later playing in the gym I started in is pretty fun,” Forrest said. “It would be nice to come back and show them what we’ve got.”
Marmonte League Champion Oaks Christian has also had its fair share of wins so far in Division 2. The Lions have yet to drop a set in the playoffs, defeating Rancho Christian 25-13, 25-10, 25-19 in the first round and then La Canada in the second 25- 21, 25-22, 25-20 on Saturday.
The Lions faced Duke-bound senior outside hitter Ashby Zubcevich, with Masina Ogbechi facing her. Sadie Kocur and Jady Mape led the team with 11 kills each, while Manaia Ogbechie finished with 10.
“There’s always a little bit of question when you’ve played somewhere and you’ve lost,” head coach Julie Bennett said of her team’s return to La Cañada after dropping a non-league game there late last season. “I think it worked in our favor, although we came back ready for some revenge.”
Oaks Christian will host Palos Verdes, which defeated the Lions in five sets in the first round of last year’s Division I state playoffs, on Wednesday at 6 p.m.
“There’s definitely excitement, but there’s also hunger,” Bennett said. “We’re still not satisfied.”
Royal the road to the Division 3 quarter-finals was a long one.
After defeating top-seeded Rosary Academy in the first round, 16-25, 25-20, 19-25, 25-22, 16-14, the Highlanders rallied for a 25-20, 15-25, 20-25, 25 – 19, 15-11 win over visiting Upland on Saturday.
“They fight like crazy,” Royals head coach Christine Connelly said. “They don’t give up – the last two games have been battles.”
Outside hitter Jaydan Alexander had 14 kills and 13 digs, Haley Byron contributed 12 kills and four blocks and Ella Buonauro finished with 26 assists and 11 digs.
Royal will play at Bishop Diego on Wednesday. The Highlanders knocked the Cardinals out of the playoffs last season with a three-set victory.
“We’re really looking forward to going to Bishop Diego and seeing them again,” Connelly said. “I’m sure they’ll be ready for us.”
2024 Star Campaign Thousand Oaks ended at home with a three-set loss to Orange Lutheran in a Division 2 second-round match.
Seiler Halvorsen, a freshman middle, had 10 kills and junior outside hitter Leah Curtin had seven. Reagan Maguire and Haley Lauritzen combined for 27 assists.
Agura fell to host Windward 25-17, 26-24, 25-18 in a Division 3 second-round match.
Alexis O’Keefe had seven kills, nine digs, two aces and two blocks, Makenna Biondi had 10 kills, three blocks and two aces, Ava Galvan contributed six kills and three blocks and Kiyomi Kono finished with 22 assists and five kills for Chargers.
After a strong first round win in Division 5, Ventura fell to Flintridge Prep on the road, 20-25, 25-23, 20-25, 19-25.
Gigi Scaglia finished with 17 kills and 16 digs, Hazel Richard had six kills, Mia Howard had five kills and Isabela Tafoya had 10 digs.
Moorpark lost to host Valencia 25-22, 25-20, 25-16 in a Division 5 second-round match.
Saint Bonaventure took host Oakwood to five sets before losing 25-19, 16-25, 25-14, 27-29, 15-10 in a Division 6 first-round match.
Grace School lost to host Crossroads, 25-17, 25-17, 25-14, in Division 6. Thatcher fell in five sets to host Rialto in Division 9.