Belize High School Female Volleyball All Stars – NexGen Best of the Best Champions
by William Ysaguirre (Freelance Writer)
BELIZE CITY, Thurs. Mar. 20, 2025
The Belize High School All Stars pulled off a historic 3-1 upset of the National Secondary Schools Sports Association (NSSSA) champions, the St. Catherine Academy Seahawks, at a female volleyball tournament organized by NexGen, for what was truly some of the “Best of the Best” volleyball ever played at the Belize City Civic Center on Saturday, March 15.
An All Stars selection of the Association of Tertiary Level Institutions of Belize (ATLIB) and the reigning national senior women’s champions, the SQ Mega Stars, also won their respective categories.
SQ Mega Stars – BVA Nat’l Women’s Champions and NexGen Best of the Best Champions
In Game 1 of morning, the an All Stars selection of the Association of Tertiary Level Institutions of Belize (ATLIB) similarly upset the defending ATLIB national champions – the University of Belize Black Jaguars, 3-1. Zanya Hall and Samantha Jones led the All Stars’ attack, hammering kills at the net, with Sanaa Requea and Jayda Ferrera also scoring hits on plays set by Ziane Henderson and Kyra Philips, who also served with devastating effect to win the first 2 sets, 25-18, 25-22.
ATLIB All Star Women Volleyball Selection – NexGen Best of the Best Champions
Jevia Leslie, Kaleigh Cardinez, Dennisa Mairena, Tana Vasquez and Danini Gordon rallied the UB girls’ counterattack, scoring hits on balls set by Lean Carrillo to win the 3rd set, 25-19, as Isabelle Swasey and Kelsey Balderamos took the court to assist. Sheila Ayala and Kimberly Spence came off the bench to help the All Stars prevail, 25-18, in the 4th set.
In Game 2, the NSSSA All Stars, who featured mostly players of the Belize City high schools sub-champions – the Belize High School (BHS) Rams, upset the NSSSA champions – the SCA Seahawks, who have reigned over NSSSA volleyball for the past 20 years.
Akili Jones, Faia Reshetina, Amaya Lino, Jaycee Usher and Kijana Rose led the Seahawks’ attack, scoring hits at the net on plays set by Emma Solano and Usher to win the first set, 25-22.
But the Seahawks were not to have it all their own way, as Abigail Sharp, Hannah Auil, Rhea Tsai, Melina Blatz and Tamia Bennett rallied the BHS all Stars’ counterattack, hammering kills at the net on balls set by Carly Vaccaro, who also served up aces. Aziela Craig came off the bench, and libero Dasialynn Thurton took the court on defense, digging up saves.
Lissany Castillo, Mira Bood, Chloe Bowman, Nathalie Popper and A’shae Parks came off the Seahawks bench with liberos Zazil Marin and Demi Solano taking the court on defense, but the BHS girls swept the next 3 sets and the match, 25-19, 25-16, 25-21!
In Game 3, the reigning national senior women’s champions, the SQ Mega Stars dominated the Belize Volleyball Association All Stars women, 3-0. Melissa Ramirez, Sherika Burton, Zanyah Hall and Imaun Marin hammered kills at the net on plays set by Sara Safa, to win the first set, 25-21.
Zalika Henderson, Samantha Jones, Dennisa Mairena, Hadie Castillo and Kelsey Balderamos rallied the BVA All Stars’ counterattacks, scoring hits on plays set by Ziane Henderson. But the “Great Wall” of Kevanna Sebastian blocking frustrated their efforts, and Sebastian served aces down the sidelines, for the Mega Stars to win the 2nd set, 25-4. Ayana Godfrey, Thurton, Auil and Tsai came off the BVA All Stars bench to assist, but Jamielee Espejo, Kailee Godfrey and libero Kaleigh Cardinez took the court to help the Mega Stars prevail in the 3rd set, 25-15.
NEXGEN awarded team trophies and individual medals to the 3 champions in each category.