Sports
Cal High Men's Volleyball Shows Promise in Deer Valley
Grizzlies invade Logan Bailey Memorial Invitational Tournament
Deer Valley High in Antioch played host to the Logan Bailey Memorial Invitational on Saturday. The men's high school volleyball tournament featured 22 squads from around the bay and showcased some of the top teams in the area. The Cal High Grizzlies came in fresh off their third-place finish in last weekend's Cal Poly tournament in San Louis Obispo – a remarkable showing for a young team that graduated nine players last year.
It took a team coached by one of the beach volleyball's legends to bring them down. For the second consecutive year, Karch Kiraly's St. Margaret's Episcopal School in San Juan Capistrano knocked the Grizzlies out of the tournament.
"He's the best beach volleyball player ever to have lived," said Cal High coach Courtney Whitaker. "Though if you had told me when we walked into that tournament that we were going to get third, I would have thought you were crazy."
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Cal High didn't fare as well in Saturday's action at Deer Valley, but the day was not without bright spots for the Grizzlies. They started off strong by winning their first two matches. They began by defeating the St. Patrick-St. Vincent Bruins in two games. They then bested the Pleasant Valley Vikings, who generally have a solid program.
Unfortunately the Grizzlies met their match against El Dorado's Oak Ridge Trojans, falling in straight games. They had to watch as EBAL powerhouse Foothill beat a tough Chico team in three games to win the tournament.
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"We've always had a deep team, but our level has dropped a little bit this year in terms of experience and ability," said Whitaker, whose team went 32-5 last year. "I don't think we're as strong as we were last year, but I don't think we're down for the count by any means, either."
One of the players stepping up for the Grizzlies is returning senior Adam Slattery, a tall, strong outside hitter who elevates nicely. Cal High also has a talented middle that includes senior Trent Deakers and junior Aquiles Montoya. Junior Josh Ho is a returning defensive specialist.
Younger players have also made their mark on the Grizzlies this year. Sophomore setter Craig Horlbeck set for a club team, and Whitaker said, "He's doing a phenomenal job."
The Grizzlies also have sophomore Sunny Chui, a transfer student from China, starting at outside hitter.
This is Whitaker's eighth year coaching volleyball and her third year coaching at Cal High, though it is her first year not coaching her little brother, Daniel. In this case, little is a relative term as the 6'4" 260 pound Cal High graduate is now playing football at West Point. Whitaker played volleyball for San Ramon Valley High School and then Fresno Pacific University, which just won its third NAIA national championship.
"We are really lucky at Cal High to have such depth in our program," Whitaker said. "We had 60 kids try out this year, and I could only keep 32. That's just a testament to how hard these guys work and how important it is to them. I'm really excited because I've officially declared Cal High a program now, as opposed to just a team from year to year."
Cal High looks to build on its 5-3 start on Thursday at Amador Valley.
