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The 7th grade Ray Jr. High Girls Volleyball win the Central Jr. High League Tournament.
The 8th grade Ray Jr High Girls Volleyball team at the Central Jr. High League Tournament.
Copper Basin News
The Ray seventh-grade girls’ volleyball team won the CJHL Volleyball Championship two weeks ago while the eighth-grade finished as runner-up.
The No. 2-seeded Lady Cats defeated No. 3-seed Hayden, 2 – 1 (25-16, 16-25,15-9), to advance to the championship match, where they took on the top-seeded Mt. Vista Lady Cougars.
In the championship match, Kacy Molar was superb from the service line and had a few key serves that turned the match in the Lady Cats favor. Indigo Patterson led the Lady Cats’ charge in the second game, which the Lady Cats also won (25 – 13) and the League Championship with it.
“I think the Lady Cougars were stunned that we won game one,” head coach Stacy Johnson told the Copper Basin News. “That threw them off their game plan.”
“I’m not sure if my young players really realize what they truly accomplished this season,” she added. “These girls worked as a team all season long and were eager to learn the game.”
The seventh-grade champions are: Chasity Kelley, Kacy Molar, Indigo Patterson, Lucinda Schneider, Chelsea Flores, Emma Stuart, and Brianna Goad.
The No. 3-seeded eighth-grade Lady Cats defeated No. 6 San Manuel in the first round, 2 – 0 (25-19, 25-9). Acacia Baldenegro, Danielle Barajas, Shelby Yocum, and Emiley Rutter led the Cats to the victory.
The Lady Cats took on No. 2 Globe in their next match and won, 2 – 1 (25-20, 21-25, 15-3). Yocum and Baldenegro played the net well. The victory pitted the Lady Cats versus Mt. Vista for the CJHL Championship.
The Lady Cougars were outstanding at the service line and on point with kills. It turned out to be turned be the difference in the match as the Mt. Vista defeated Ray, 2 – 0 (19-25, 22-25).
“We just didn’t have enough steam to break all their servers or to pop up their hits and tips,” Johnson said. “We gave it all we had.”
The eighth-grade runners up are: Emiley Rutter, Emma Cude, Molli Davila, Shelby Yocum, Shaylyn Arbizo, Izzy Kimmel, Julianna Hong, Julia Lorona, Grace Rabb, Bianca Gutierrez, Danielle Barajas, Ashlin Baca, Claudia Delgado, and Acacia Baldenegro.
Andrew Luberda began writing for Copper Area News Publishers (CANP) in February 2013 after working 15 years in Healthcare Financial Management. Andy covers sports for 11 high schools. His stories are published in Copper Basin News, San Manuel Miner and Superior Sun, in addition to the San Tan Valley Daily PRSS and CopperArea websites. Additionally, he has written human interest stories and business profiles. In May 2012, he earned an AAS in Sports Management at Central Arizona College before graduating with a BS in Communication from Arizona State University in 2014. He and his wife, Kelli, have three sons – AJ, Kyle, and Kade.
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