Photos by Ray Hamill/HumbodtSports.com – Brittyn Ikeya, center, has been named MVP of the Little 4.

By Ray Hamill — It all came together on the volleyball court this season for Brittyn Ikeya.

The St. Bernard’s junior was one of the most improved players in the H-DNL, and it’s no coincidence how she achieved that.

According to her coach, Ikeya put in a lot of extra work this fall and became a key team leader on the way to helping the Crusaders secure another Little 4 championship.

And that’s why she was named the Little 4 MVP this week.

“Brittyn led our team statistically in kills and aces,” SB head coach Sejay Sarti said. “She is a player of true grit.”

Ikea is also one of the hardest working players in the conference and that clearly paid off this season.

“She stayed later to work on her game and continued to get better throughout the season,” Sarti added. “She held a leadership presence on our team and held high energy as well.”

Ikea is one of six players to receive all-league recognition for the conference champs, including four who were named to the all-league team.

Ikeya’s teammates Makinsey Lemley, Kyla Maples and Sahara Tupua each also were named to the all-league team, while Scarlett Zerlang and Claira Hoffman were among the honorable mentions.

The dominating Crusaders won all nine of their league games, a run that included 27 straight set victories after they dropped their opening set of the campaign.

Amaya Mathews

The SB girls also won their North Coast Section playoff opener before falling in the Division-6 quarterfinals last weekend.

Conference runner-up Ferndale, meanwhile, had three players included on the all-league team.

Amaya Mathews, Dalia Cantu-Mendez and Abby Gossi all made the grade on a Wildcats team that also made it to the NCS Division-6 quarterfinals.

The Hoopa Warriors had two players named to the all-league team, while the South Fork Cubs had one.

Wau’kel Blake and freshman Luella Cosce were included for Hoopa, while Mackenzie Coleman was the Cubs’ selection.

Luella Cosce

Makinsey Lemley

Little 4 Honorable Mentions 

St. Bernard’s — Claira Hoffman, Scarlett Zerlang

Ferndale — Danica Dowd, Ki Giacomini

Hoopa — Taelyr Lewis-Tracy, Vuunsip E-Kor, Chloe King, Karmen Whitecrane 

South Fork —Abi Krastes