A week after defeating county rival Pierce, in the first round of the Northern Section CIF Division IV playoffs, the No. 4 seeded Yellowjackets were rewarded with the unenviable task of facing No. 1 U-Prep, the reigning NSCIF and state Division IV champions Nov. 1 in Redding.
Coming into the match, the Panthers, who had only dropped three total sets to Northern Section teams and were riding a 23-match win streak, kept rolling along after downing the ‘Jackets 25-11, 25-9, 25-11.
Following the contest, Williams head coach Darren Robinson acknowledged the impressive capabilities of the U-Prep team, but also expressed pride in his squad’s performance.
“They were very good. I can see why they are the defending section and state champions,” said Robinson. “My girls played excellently though. They hung tough in a lot of rallies and never backed down. After the game they received many compliments about their play and how well they worked together as a team.”
Senior setter Trinity Tungasmita handed out 10 assists and made five digs, junior Mia Rivera had five kills to go along with five digs, while Brianna Jaime, another of the ‘Jackets’ seniors also recorded five digs.
In spite of the loss, it was still a banner year for the Yellowjackets, who finished as the Mid-Valley League champions with an overall record of 19-8. ■