HILMAR, CA (MPG) – Making their first appearance in the regional finals of the CIF Division V State Tournament last Tuesday, the No. 4 RedHawks fought valiantly but ultimately could not hold off No. 2 Hilmar falling 22-25, 17-25, 25-23, 23-25.
Colusa, no stranger to deep runs in the postseason, had previously reached the regional quarterfinal round in 2019 when it was defeated by The Nueva School (San Mateo), but the 2025 squad, despite its relative youth was able to get one game further.
However, for Hilmar, a school of some 750 students and the runner-up in the Division IV bracket of the state tournament, the experience and home court advantage paid off against the RedHawks, who had to make a more than 300 mile round trip to play the match.
Tournament regional final match on Nov. 18.
Yet, as both teams struggled in serve/receive in the first set, Colusa held a 17-15 lead, but the Yellowjackets surged ahead capitalizing on errors as well as being the beneficiary of a controversial call on a ball that appeared to be out.
In the second set, Colusa struggled on the attack and never really found a rhythm, but with its season on the line came back with a vengeance in the third set to stay alive.
However, in the fourth and final set with the score 23-22 in the RedHawks’ favor, it was a no-call that changed the complexion of the match when Colusa was prevented from reaching a playable ball by the referee’s placement on the court and no replay of the point was granted.
From there, the Yellowjackets recorded the final two points on tips that the RedHawks could not cover.
Despite Hilmar’s advantage in hitting percentage, .203 to Colusa’s .141, Abby Coronado had a big night accounting for 23 points on 14 kills and nine blocks in addition to making 11 digs.
Peyton Miller finished with 13 kills and 13 digs, while Cecelia Mitchum in her final game for Colusa had nine kills and 13 digs.
Setters Cindel Oliver and Leyla Avera handed out 16 and 14 assists respectively.
Still for Coach Kim Roper what her team accomplished was nothing short of remarkable as she explained.
“This group of young athletes did something historic. They worked hard, learned from the losses and became a little better each day. They traveled from one end of California to the other and always played with heart. Although they came up a bit short, they made their coaches, fans and school proud. I’m looking forward to seeing what this team will do next year.”
final match against Hilmar on Nov. 18.
Although ending their season with an overall record of 27-14, the turning point for the RedHawks, according to co-coach Annie Lay, came after they suffered a rough couple weeks where they dropped three straight matches, but addressing the issues frankly actually helped the team catch fire for its playoff run.
“There were a couple of tough back-to-back weeks in the middle of the season where we really struggled, but it ended up being a turning point for our team. We had important conversations about effort, trust, and confidence as we worked through a very competitive schedule and competed in an extremely deep and talented league. From that point on, we emphasized discipline in the little things—serve receive, defense, and communication. The growth they showed afterward proved their commitment and they continued to improve as they became more confident in their abilities.”
With just two seniors on its current roster and a wealth of experience on which to draw, Colusa looks to be a top contender in 2026.