Volleyball 2008 The AV Hub Lancaster California Antelope Valley Antelope Valley Hub California AV Business Directory Lancaster Palmdale Quartz Hill Littlerock Pearblossom Mojave Rosemond LLano Crystal Aire Acton Agua Dulce Antelope Acres Lake Hughes Lake Elizabeth Mojave Desert Mountain High Lancaster Schools Palmdale Schools AV High School District Edwards Air Force Base Plant 42
2008
Hunter Horn. Ryan Kachold, Evan Mottram, Conner Cherland,
Ian Zavala, Matt Crump, Micah and Austin Rose, Ronaiah Tuiasosopo
By CRAIG CURRIER
Valley Press Assistant Sports Editor
In the gold medal contest of the 17-and-under open division at the USA Boys Volleyball Junior Olympics in Sandy, Utah, Balboa Bay Quicksilver cruised past Pali Kaepa in the first game, 25-16.
But, for only the second time in its last eight tries, Pali Kaepa didn't go away. Instead, the Pacific Palisades-based club defeated its rival from Costa Mesa and earned the gold medal Wednesday afternoon at the South Towne Exposition Center located about 15 miles outside Salt Lake City.
Pali Kaepa, which includes Quartz Hill High School's Ryan Kachold and Evan Mottram, defeated Balboa Bay, 16-25, 25-23, 19-17.
Kachold and Mottram were both named to the open division all-tournament team along with teammate Chris Pratt. Oliver Deutschman of Pali Kaepa was named open tournament most valuable player.
As members of the Pacific Palisades 16-and-under team last year, Kachold and Mottram lost to Balboa Bay in the semifinals of the Junior Olympics in Atlanta and finished third.
"Every tournament we go to, we almost always end up playing them," Mottram said. "When it got to the playoffs there were a lot more people watching. The finals were on the center court and everyone who was there watched."
Both Kachold and Mottram will be seniors at Quartz Hill next season as the Rebels return a strong core from 2008's Southern Section Division III title-winning squad. Kachold was named Division III MVP, but said winning the Junior Olympics gold medal is even more exciting than what he and his teammates accomplished this spring.
It was the third time in four years Kachold has been to the Junior Olympics. He went to Louisville, Ky., as a member of the 14-and-under Santa Monica Beach Club squad, then to Atlanta with the 16-and-under Pacific Palisades group.
"Club is time to be serious," Kachold said. "It was great to bring the title to our school, but JOs is a lot bigger and it's way more competitive."
Pali Kaepa navigated its way through a January qualifying tournament in Anaheim and then three days of pool play in Utah to reach the gold medal round.
"It's so hard to win JOs," Mottram said. "There's so many ways to get knocked out."
Both Mottram and Kachold are hoping volleyball will earn them a college scholarship after next season. Mottram is a diverse talent who plays libero for his club team, but is an outside hitter come the high school season. A natural left-handed opposite hitter, Kachold said he loves volleyball but is more interested in using it to help him get an education.
There were two tournaments at each age level. The open tournament requires a qualifier to enter, while the club tournament is available for any club to join.
Conner Cherland and Ian Zavala of Quartz Hill and Matt Crump of Highland are on the 16-and-under Pacific Palisades team that finished ninth in its club tournament. Micah and Austin Rose of Paraclete competed on Santa Monica Beach Club's 17-and-under team, while Spirits grad Ronaiah Tuiasosopo was on the SMBC's 18-and-under Black squad.
Hunter Horn, also of Quartz Hill, competed with SMBC's 17-and-under Black team.
Zavala, Horn and Cherland, along with Mottram and Kachold all return to play for the Rebels next spring, giving coach Justin Harris a wealth of returning talent on a team that should start the season ranked No. 1 in Division III.
