By Ray Hamill — Redwoods volleyball is building momentum ahead of conference play and enjoying one of its most impressive runs in recent years.
On Wednesday, the CR women traveled to Pittsburg to play a doubleheader of games against Marin and Los Medanos and won both games.
Head coach Macy Thomas and her players have been red hot for much of September, winning six of their last seven games to go to 8-7.
They opened a busy Wednesday with a four sets win over Marin, 25-23, 23-25, 24-21, 26-24, including a big rally late in set four to clinch the victory.
Later in the day they comfortably took care of business against Los Medanos, winning 25-12, 25-18, 25-21.
“We played really well,” Thomas said. “Los Medanos is a scrappy team and sometimes that can be hard to defend, but overall we kept it pretty clean on our side.”
In the fourth set against Marin, the CR women found themselves trailing 22-13, but they would go on a 13-2 run to close out the set and clinch the victory.
“That was fun to watch,” Thomas said.
With 10 freshmen on a roster of 12, this year’s team is young, but they’re coming together quickly and appear poised to make some noise in what will be a tough conference.
And that augurs well for the future of this program.
But it’s not the only thing that has impressed the coach through the early part of the season.
“I think so far, what I’m most impressed with is the determination of this group,” Thomas said. “And their overall hunger and confidence and volleyball IQ.
“I love the physical talent of the team, but also the intangibles.”
Several players have impressed, including the team’s two sophomores, both of whom are Arcata High graduates.
Bella Campbell, a two-time Big 5 All-League selection and the league’s 2024 MVP, is thriving in a new role for the team this season.
Campbell has switched back to libero after playing different positions last year and is playing a pivotal role for Redwoods while continuing to show tremendous growth on the college courts.
“I’m really excited to see her grow into that role,” Thomas said.
Campbell’s former Arcata teammate, Quincy Collins, also is enjoying a big season after recovering from a knee injury that sidelined her for much of her freshmen year.
And she appears to be improving as the season progresses, posting a team-high in kills in both of Wednesday’s games and finishing with 21 for the day.
“She is doing great recovering from knee surgery last year,” Thomas said of the influential outside hitter. “She put in a ton of work during the offseason.”
Both sophomores, according to the coach, are also “doing a great of being leaders.”
Another player who has played a key role early in the season is freshman setter Ava Warren.
According to Thomas, the Anchorage, Alaska, native is “doing an amazing job,” including posting a career-high 44 assists against Mendocino on Friday.
“She’s doing a great job finding our hitters and running our offense,” Thomas said of Warren, who finished with 62 assists in Wednesday’s two games as well as 20 digs.
The team’s middle blockers, Taylor Hudson and Renna Shriner, also have impressed during the pre-conference schedule and are growing stronger as the season progresses.
“They’re two very dynamic middles and both are very powerful,” said Thomas, who added that they are connecting well with Warren.
Hudson had 17 kills on Wednesday, as well as four blocks against Marin, while Shriner had 10 kills.
Some of the team’s younger players — a group that includes Del Norte’s Melody Brennan, Eureka’s Macy Secor and Aldergrove Charter School’s Kalifah Younge — have also impressed the coach through the early going, along with fellow freshmen Emilie Johnson, Ariel Franco, Miavanna Maiava and Kaylie Hendricks.
Maiava made her presence felt in Wednesday’s doubleheader, finishing with six kills, four aces and 13 digs against Marin.
Campbell also had four aces and 17 digs in that win, while Franco finished with 11 digs.
This year’s Golden Valley Conference will be tough, however, with three of CR’s five conference opponents ranked in the top 19 in the state.
In addition to powerhouse Feather River, the No 2 team in California in this week’s coaches poll, Lassen is No. 18 and Shasta is No. 19.
But if the early season is anything to go by, you can expect the Redwoods players to cause problems for whoever they’re playing.
“We’re definitely heading into a competitive conference,” Thomas said. “But I am expecting these girls to fight and not bow down to anyone.”
The coach and players are looking forward to the challenge and continuing to build for the future.
“I just want to express how much I am loving this season and this group,” Thomas said. “I’m super excited about what we’re building here, and it’s showing.”
