File photos – Melody Brennan is playing a key role at middle blocker for this year’s Del Norte team.

By Ray Hamill — After being edged for the championship a year ago, the Del Norte girls are hoping to reestablish themselves as the best team in Big 5 volleyball this fall.

On Tuesday night, the Warriors continued their preparation for the upcoming conference schedule with a straight sets win over Ferndale, improving to 10-2.

They will open conference play at Fortuna on Thursday of next week, and if early-season performances are any indication the Warriors should be among the contenders once again this fall.

More importantly, the players appear to be enjoying the process as they continue to build chemistry on the court.

“Honestly, they’re a fun group to coach, they really are,” coach Petra Lorenzi said. “And they complement each other well on the court, they motivate each other and they support each other.”

Back to lead the charge this fall is returning all-league selection Bliss Blackburn and all-league honorable mentions Kansas Coulson and Melody Brennan.

Blackburn is one of six seniors on a roster of 12 and has been playing a key role early in her final season of high school volleyball.

“She’s definitely taken on that leadership role,” Lorenzi said. “She’s definitely stepping up, and you can see her dominance and experience.”

Fellow seniors Coulson and Brennan are both also playing key roles for the team ahead of conference action.

Coulson is the Warriors’ starting setter and has been impressing at the position early in the campaign, while Brennan will play middle blocker.

In 2024, Brennan and Jeanna Erler split time at middle blocker alongside the dominating Lauren Stutes, but with the latter now graduated Brennan and Erler have taken over as starters and have looked good there so far.

“Those two are running our middle this year,” Lorenzi said. “They’re going a good job.”

Another senior, Deja Travis, also has hit the ground running this year and looks poised to play a big role on the back row.

Travis, who saw some time as a defensive specialist last fall, also has raised the level of her play.

“She’s really coming on big for us this year,” Lorenzi said. “She’s a lot more confident out there and she’s communicating well.”

File photos

The team’s sixth senior, Bella Arriola, rounds out an experienced starting lineup.

Arriola, who battled some injuries the past couple of seasons, appears fully healthy this year and has moved into a starting spot.

“She just brings a level of maturity,” Lorenzi said of Arriola, who is playing on the right side.

Some of the team’s younger players also appear ready to play big roles off the bench this fall, including junior Gianna Antonetti and sophomore Sierra Brennan.

Antonetti has established herself as a key player on defense, while Sierra, who is the younger sister of Melody, will also see plenty of time on the back row and has become one of the team’s most reliable servers.

As for the Big 5, Lorenzi is expecting both Arcata and Eureka to contend, along with her Warriors.

“Arcata’s definitely going to be a threat, and Eureka’s looking pretty good,” the coach said. “And I think we’re definitely going to be a threat.”

In addition to Tuesday night’s win, the Warriors also won their bracket at the Brookings tournament over the weekend.

They will continue their preparation for conference play at this weekend’s Red Bluff tournament, before hosing Brookings-Harbor on Monday.