Champions!!!

By Michael Ashcraft --

Lighthouse Christian Academy rocked the league.

Its fearsome foursome of absolute killers -- senior Allie Scribner, senior Dahlia Gonzalez, sophomore Shayla Papik and freshman Jillian Jenkins -- made short work of Ojai Valley School Wednesday in three sets: 25-14, 25-7, 25-15.

The Spuds (that's their mascot name) had to content themselves with landing a punch or two on Floyd Mayweather. When they did manage to block Dahlia's phsyics-defying hits, the homecourt crowd erupted in wild cheers. No matter, as the ball dropped back from the block, Dahlia herself rescued it with wild one-arm bumps that kept it in play and led to Lighthouse winning anyway.

Otherwise, as thunderbolts fell right, left and center (Dahlia hauled 18 kills in all), the Spuds volleyball girls crumpled, blinked incredulously and alternatively wore expressions of terror and laughter (as if to say, how are we supposed to return that?). In one hit that was blocked but fell on Ojai's side anyway, the defender hugged and rubbed her arms in apparent pain with a look of shocked anguish on her face.

"I've never seen a hitter that good in the last two years, even in playoffs," Coach Jessica Young said. "Dahlia's abs are like steel. She can crunch the ball and get it in the 10-foot line, no problem. One time the girls blocked her hit and it bounced back at us, you couldn't even see that it went over -- so fast."

The cakewalk through the league completes a 4-year resuscitation of Lighthouse volleyball power. In post-Covid, LCA was a only backwater program that Coach Jessica brought to the front tier.

"Allie and Dahlia have chosen to be captains and want to be in leadership," Coach Jessica said. "Once you have the core following, you don't have to worry about the fringe. They are actively improving things that are wrong on the team."

Dahlia had a 100% hitting in Game 2 (8 kills of 8 tries). The Saints had perfect serving in Game 2 -- the first time this season. LCA mounted 4 or 5 times as many hits as Ojai Valley.

As good as the Saints played, observers realize that they have more to offer. They haven't competed at their highest level, except for a smattering of sets. They're faster. They slow their game down to the level of their opponents.

As the Saints move into playoffs (next week), they're going to have to play their A game. Their achilles heel -- serves -- is going to have to significantly improve (their serves are great, but sometimes trying to kill the ball they miss their target altogether).

In last year's playoffs, the Saints showed their pluck, downing teams that appeared to be better all-around.

Read more about LCA volleyball: the Jill Chills (Game 1). Sharp shooter Shayla (Game 2), No return policy (Game 3) , Abigail is Elsa (Game 4), God Balls (Game 5), Little girl beat up big boy (Game 6), Craziah for Keziah (Game 7) Flower power (Game 8), Xie xie Shay (Game 9), One in a Jillian (Game 10), Napoleon's Cannoneers(Game 11), Ethiopian Queen (Game 12), Make them pay, Shay (Game 13).

About this reporter: Michael Ashcraft teaches journalism at the Lighthouse Christian Academy of Santa Monica.