Ceres High’s and Central Valley’s girls volleyball teams had a combined five players earn recognition during their respective conference’s year-end coaches meetings in recent weeks.
Bulldog senior middle blocker Jada Harris earned Western Athletic Conference honors for the third year in a row.
“She’s a great overall athlete,” said Ceres High leader Kelly Heese. “She played with positive energy. Her strong asset was her defense at the net.”
Harris was selected to the WAC First Team this fall.
An honorable pick last year, Harris was named to the WAC South First Team as a sophomore.
She plans to play the sport in college.
“Jada matured,” Heese said. “She’s not done (growing) yet. She has a ton of potential.”
Bulldog senior co-captain/utility player Ally Strehl earned second-team all-WAC honors.
“Her main sport is basketball,” Heese said. “She fell in love with volleyball. To see her growth was pretty impressive. When she stepped on the court, she always gave 110 percent. She was excited to be out there. She was a great team leader. She was always positive and trying to encourage people. She played wherever I needed her.”
Ceres High senior outside hitter/co-captain Abi Prado was an WAC honorable-mention selection for the second straight season.
She rarely left the court.
“Soccer is her favorite sport. But she was passionate about volleyball. She was an all-round player. The amount of improvement she made was amazing.”
The Bulldogs took sixth in the WAC standings with a 5-9 mark this year. Ceres High won just two of 11 matches while placing last in league play last fall.
The Bulldogs had an overall record of 9-13 in 2022.
Ceres High finished 3-19 in 2021.
“We had way more wins this year compared to last season,” Heese said.
Harris, Strehl and Prado will be lost to graduation.
“All three of them will be missed greatly. They were huge assets.”
Senior outside hitter Bella Carrera earned Central California Conference honorable-mention recognition during her final season with the Hawks.
“Bella played three varsity seasons,” Central Valley head coach Regina Selfridge said. “She was a little shy about her abilities the first year and then she really blossomed into an outstanding player. She is a hard worker. She gives 100 percent every practice and every game no matter if we are winning or losing. She is encouraging of others and quick to give credit to her peers when they excel. She is also a great passer and server.”
Senior newcomer Akem Sandu was named CV’s CCC Sportsmanship winner.
“Akem played varsity one year,” Selfridge said. “When she plays well, her confidence grows. She knows all the nuances of the game. She loves to help the lower-level players improve. This is why she was awarded the sportsmanship award.”
