Photo: 18x NSSSA 2024 Female Volleyball Champions – SCA “Seahawks”
by William Ysaguirre
ORANGE WALK TOWN, Sat. Nov. 9, 2024
The St. Catherine Academy “Seahawks” volleyball girls won their 18th consecutive National Secondary Schools Sports Association (NSSSA) volleyball championship, when the Belize High School of Agriculture hosted nationals at the Orange Walk Multipurpose Complex on Friday and Saturday, November 8-9.
Photo: NSSSA 2024 Female Volleyball MVP – Akili Jones
The Seahawks dominated the Western regional champions – the Sacred Heart College girls, 3-0, in the finals on Saturday afternoon. MVP Akili Jones led the attack, hammering 19 kills and serving 3 aces to easily win the 1st set, 25-14. Amayah Lino hammered 12 kills and served an ace, team captain Emma Solano scored 6 hits and served an ace, while Faia Reshetina scored 5 hits and had 2 kill blocks to win the 2nd set, 25-13.
Photo: NSSSA 2024 Female Volleyball Sub-Champions – Sacred Heart College girls
Tyra Thomas rallied the Sacred Heart counterattack with 3 hits, Brianna Labriel scored 2 hits and served an ace, while Nareine Valentine scored 2 hits. Kelly Quintanilla scored 1 hit, and Avery Guzman served an ace. They also profited from SCA’s 11 service faults and 26 errors.
SCA’s rookie Chloe Bowman scored a hit, and Kijana Rose and Sara Safa each served an ace, as they profited from Sacred Heart’s 19 errors and 4 service faults, to win the 3rd set, 25-20.
Photo: NSSSA 2024 Female Volleyball 3rd Place – Orange Walk Technical girls
The Northern regional champions – Orange Walk Technical College girls toughed it out to upset the Southern champions – Toledo Community College girls, 3-2, in the consolation match for 3rd place on Saturday morning. Ahmarri Mutrie led TCC with 14 hits and served 5 aces to win the 1st set, 25-18. Monica Young hammered 10 kills and had a kill block, Melania Ack scored 8 hits, and Arlette Choc scored 4 hits and served 3 aces to win the 2nd set, 26-24. Keyla Ramclam served 3 aces and scored 2 hits, Nuwani Casimiro scored 3 hits, and Emaya Ico served an ace. They also profited from OWTHS’ 47 errors and 3 service faults.
OWTHS captain Analiya Bolanos turned the tide, as she scored 15 hits and served 2 aces, and Kimora August scored 6 hits and served an ace to win the 3rd set, 27-25. Zurisadai Espinosa scored 4 hits and served 3 aces, Jamirey Moh scored 5 hits and served an ace, Taja Tillett scored a hit and an ace, Vanessa Payne had a kill block, and Nemesis Prado served an ace to win the 4th set, 26-24. They also profited from TCC’s 13 faults and 57 errors to take the 5th set, 15-6.
The Seahawks had also dominated the Orange Walk girls, 3-0, in the 2nd game on Friday evening, led by Akili Jones’ 14 kills. Emma Solano served 7 aces and scored 4 hits to win the first set, 25-5. Kijana Rose served 6 aces and scored 2 hits, Chloe Bowman hammered 4 hits and served 3 aces, Faia Reshetina scored 3 hits, a kill block and an ace to win the 2nd set, 25-9. Amayah Lino scored 3 hits and served an ace, Jaycee Usher and Sara Safa each served 3 aces, and Lissany Castillo served 2 aces. They also profited from OWTHS’ 5 faults and 11 errors to win the 3rd set, 25-5.
Only Kimora August and Taja Tillett scored a hit each for OWTHS, but SCA conceded 17 pts by 6 faults and 11 errors.
The Sacred Heart girls had also dominated the TCC girls 25-20, 27-25, 25-21 in the opening match on Friday afternoon.
The NSSSA president, Francis Pascual presented team trophies and individual medals to the champions, sub-champions and 3rd place winners in the awards ceremony after the finals. Akili Jones won the Most Valuable Player award.