Kelseyville celebrates first North Central League I championship since 2019 season
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KELSEYVILLE >> Five years between league titles might not seem like much, but for the Kelseyville High School varsity volleyball squad, a team that has racked up multiple North Central League I championships this century, beating Fort Bragg 25-10, 25-20, 25-4 on Thursday night in Kelseyville marked a return to the good ol’ days.
Kelseyville (12-2) clinched its first NCL I title since 2019 at the expense of defending champion Fort Bragg, the team that edged them out for the league crown a year ago. It also capped the Knights’ comeback from a post-COVID hangover. There was no season held in 2020 because of the pandemic that wiped out most of the 2020-21 high school sports season in Lake County, and the 2021 and 2022 seasons proved to be quite forgettable as head coach Donelle McCallister’s rebuilding squad finished 4-8 and 4-10, respectively, in the league standings. The Knights rebounded nicely last season, finishing 13-3 to Fort Bragg’s 14-2.
Kelseyville won its first five league matches this season before dropping back-to-back road contests to Cloverdale and Fort Bragg to end the first half, but the Knights were a perfect 7-0 in the second half, including home wins – both sweeps – of Cloverdale and Fort Bragg in their final two matches.
With Thursday also doubling as senior night, it’s important to point out that two of those seven seniors honored were on the court for all four years of Kelseyville’s turnaround story. Olivia Hommer and Cali Schnabl were freshmen on the 2021 team, so it was fitting they were present Thursday when the Knights made it all the way back to the top.
“Two of those seniors have played on our varsity team for four years, most of the other seniors for three years,” McCallister said. “They wanted that title from the beginning of the season after falling short last year.”
Needing a win against Fort Bragg (7-7) to wrap things up since Cloverdale (11-3) had no problem beating Lower Lake (0-14) in its league finale Thursday, the Knights showed the Timberwolves no mercy, sweeping them before an enthusiastic home crowd. Kelseyville swept six of its final seven league opponents, dropping only one set (to Clear Lake) in the process.
“The girls were focused and played with tenacity and commitment for each other all the while enjoying their last league volleyball match,” McCallister said.
Hommer led the way with nine kills while Nyejzniya Krohn added six kills and five blocks. Ashlyn Klein logged 15 assists and four aces while reserve Victoria Rodriguez served 11 straight points, with one ace, to end the third set and match. Schnabl continued to dominate in the area of serve receive, picking up 15 digs.
Kelseyville’s next stop is the North Coast Section Division 4 playoffs. The field will be seeded Sunday and first-round pairings released. By virtue of being a league champion the Knights will likely open at home Wednesday against a team to be determined. Quarterfinals are Nov. 2, semifinals Nov. 6 and finals Nov. 9. Depending on how far the Knights advance into the Division 4 playoffs, they could receive a berth in the NorCal playoffs that follow as part of the state championship tournament.
Junior varsity
Kelseyville’s junior varsity team wrapped up its own undisputed league title at home Tuesday against Cloverdale, but the Knights put the finishing touches on a 13-1 run in the NCL I standings with a 25-14, 23-25, 15-6 win over Fort Bragg.
Aubree Sperber served 11 straight points to open the third set. She finished with six aces and five kills. Other Kelseyville leaders were Olivia Bushey with nine kills, Grace Hobbs with eight digs, and Brooklyn Young with 17 assists.
Kelseyville won its first nine league matches before losing in three sets to St. Helena. The Knights rebounded nicely, winning their final four matches to nail down the league title.