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They've already crowned one state champion this fall over at Presentation High School—and they hope to get the chance to crown another this weekend.
Junior sensation Melissa Grelli ran to a Division 3 title at the California Interscholastic Federation State Cross Country Championships held Nov. 30 at Woodward Park in Fresno, and she's hoping that the Presentation volleyball team will join her on that lofty plateau.
The Panthers opened the Northern California playoffs with an easy 15-3, 15-0, 15-5 win over Anderson on Nov. 26, then backed that up with a 15-9, 15-8, 15-11 win over Union MineEl Dorado Hills in the semifinals.
The two wins pushed Presentation into the NorCal championship match that was to be played Dec. 3. The Panthers took a 30-8 season record into the match against El MolinoForestville. The Lions defeated the Panthers in the NorCal semis last season.
The winner of Tuesday's match advances to the state Division 3 championship match on Dec. 7 at Cypress College.
Katie Turley-Molony blasted 10 kills and Paris Raissinia supported with seven, leading the Panthers to the easy win over Anderson to open the NorCal tournament.
Turley-Molony bombed a team-high 18 kills a match later to drive Presentation to the big win over Union Mine.
Grelli wins
A win Tuesday would give the Panthers the NorCal crown and give them a shot at the state championship. It's a title Grelli has already won.
The talented junior romped over the 3.1 mile Fresno course in 17:59 to win the state Division 3 crown on Saturday. Grelli finished a full 10 seconds ahead of her nearest rival, Ciana Viehweg of St. Ignatius (second in 18:09).
Grelli was the top finisher from the Central Coast Section (CCS) and the fourth finisher overall. Caitlin Chock of Granite Bay was first in 17:29.2, with Rachel Bryan of Laguna Creek second in 17:40.1 and Kelsey Delagardelle of Sultana third in 17:53.3. Lorin Scott of San Pasqual was a close fifth in 17:59.7.
Willow Glen junior Ngoan Phan also competed in the state meet and ran a respectable 79th in the Division 3 field. Phan covered the Woodward Park course in 16:55 for the Rams.
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Photograph by George Sakkestad
Doubles Trouble: The talented Willow Glen doubles team of Stephanie Mansfield (left) and Caitlin Hannon finished third in the league tournament to earn a berth in the CCS tournament. But the Rams lost in the first round to Leland.
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Rams at CCS
The Willow Glen doubles team of Stephanie Mansfield and Caitlin Hannon earned a trip to the CCS tournament after finishing third in the Blossom Valley Athletic League tennis finals.
Mansfield and Hannon dropped a hard-fought 5-7, 6-2, 7-5 decision to a Leland pair at CCS to face elimination. But it was still quite a finish for the two Rams.
"Through the years I had several boys qualify for CCS in singles and doubles," said Willow Glen coach Don DuShane, "but Caitlin and Stephanie are the first girls."
"It's much easier to qualify for CCS as a team than individually," he added. "This is quite an accomplishment since only 16 [doubles] teams qualify to compete at CCS."
The Ram pair had beaten a Prospect twosome 7-5, 6-4 to clinch third at the league tournament.
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