It was another hugely successful season on the volleyball court for the seventh and eighth grade teams at El Portal Middle School, with both levels earning titles in the MVAL, Mid Valley Athletic League, playoffs. Following is information on the tournament, provided by seventh grade head coach Amanda Vanderwall and eighth grade coach Sidney Saunders.
Seventh Grade
The young Lady Panthers came in to the MVAL playoffs with a 14-0 record, gaining the top seed. They first faced off with Oakdale, seeded fourth, and beat them in straight sets, 25-15, 25-14.
Next they played Salida, the number two seed, and took them down by a 25-9, 25-22 decision.
Highlights for the team in the MVAL Tournament follow.
Riley Titsworth 12 Aces, 11 Digs, 3 Kills; Kinsley Villines 4 Aces, 4 Kills, 13 Digs; Avery Bartelink 5 Aces, 10 Digs, 3 Kills; Aubrey Anderson Castro 2 Aces, 6 Digs; Alaina Mancilla 12 Aces, 4 Kills, 7 Digs, 2 Blocks; Lainie Harris 2 Aces, 2 Kills, 2 Digs, 1 Block; Ryan Killingsworth 5 Digs.
Also, Aryanna Rodriguez 2 Aces, 4 Digs; Kendall Anderson 2 Aces, 5 Digs, 1 Kill; Sandra Rowe 2 Digs, 1 Kill; Katie Giuntoli 4 Digs; Aaliyah Lora 3 Digs; Kenleigh Fernandes 3 Digs; Abigail Perreira 3 Digs.
“From day one, we knew this group was something special. Though there was tremendous talent, the greatest strength we saw was not athleticism but harmonious vivacity. As coaches, this is something that we strive to cultivate in which can oftentimes be the most difficult challenge; however, because this gift was already present, the technique and skills were more easily absorbed resulting in prodigious success,” said Vanderwall. “Another strength we want to highlight is our athlete’s work ethic. Practicing five days a week, participating in one on ones, while playing other sports, keeping up on homework, and maintaining a social life, was enervating; however, these girls pushed through and gave 110 percent all season.”
Vanderwall also pointed to the importance of the support system for the team as a whole.
“We also cannot say enough great things about their parents. They have been the lifeline of our support: providing encouragement to our athletes, instilling morals and ethics into their children, filling the stands no matter how far, helping out with snacks, and we will never forget all the love they put into our gym for our tournament,” the coach noted. “Thank you, athletes and parents, for such an amazing season. We are sad to give you up but excited to see you progress in your volleyball career for years to come.”
For Vanderwall, she said having a returning assistant coach was a tremendous asset as well.
“To my assistant coach, Kenneth Baptista, I appreciate your support on and off the court. You have been a great role model for our girls and inspiration to me. Thank you for sacrificing so much of your time and always pushing me forward. From “court circling” to catching opposing team rotation errors and illegal substitutions, I am beyond proud of you,” Vanderwall said. “This has been a special season and I am thrilled to be able to experience another MVAL Championship together.”
The success of Panther volleyball continued at the eighth grade level.
“To Sidney Saunders, our eighth grade volleyball coach, I am immensely proud of you. From the moment I met you, I knew you would be exceptional. Your morals and ethics, how much you care about our girls, and the skills you bring to the table have really reflected in your success,” Vanderwall said of Saunders and her leadership. “Through the ups and downs I am always able to count on you as your support continues to give me strength. Thank you for not only being a wonderful role model for our girls but being such an amazing friend. Congratulations on another championship. As Henry Ford once said ‘Coming together is a beginning, staying together is progress, and working together is success’.”
Eighth Grade
For the eighth grade girls, they had to travel for their final tournament, heading to Ustach Middle School for the MVAL playoffs, where the ‘final four’ schools competed for the championship title.
“Something I absolutely adore about these eighth graders is that they always play to their best ability, regardless of who their opponent is. That might sound easy, yet it is really difficult to maintain a high level of play every game,” Saunders noted. “Since we were seeded first, we played Ustach to start off the tournament.”
El Portal got the win, defeating their opponent 25-14, 25-19.
“Next we played Savage, who had only lost to us this season coming in with a 14-2 record. Savage fought hard, however we came out on top, defeating them in two sets,” added Saunders. “This is my third year coaching, second year being undefeated and earning the championship title. I couldn’t do it without the work ethic of these girls.”
Saunders also said the commitment shown by all – players and coaches – contributed to the success they found on the court during the campaign.
“This year we were fortunate and were able to host a summer program. Seventh grade coaches Amanda Vanderwall, Kenneth Baptista, and myself offered some clinics during the summer. The girls and coaches took the time out of their summer to prepare for the season; extra work like this shows on the court when the season starts. We can’t wait to host again next summer,” Saunders explained. “I am so blessed to have these hard-working girls and coaches beside me. My favorite thing about coaching is to see each player improve, and watch them succeed as they advance to high school and even college.”
