The Redlands High girls volleyball team has won three consecutive Citrus Belt League titles and is shooting for a four-peat this year.
The Terriers are the favorites to win it all again this season – although Beaumont and Yucaipa also appear strong.
The first allowed matches, according to the CIF-Southern Section, are on Saturday. Redlands plays in a tournament in Lakewood that day while Redlands East Valley hosts its own tourney.
Though Redlands has lost just one league match in the past three years, it is not unsinkable. Last season host Citrus Valley upset the Terriers 27-29, 25-22, 15-25, 27-25, 15-10 before falling to Redlands later in the season.
“I think we’re looking pretty good,” Redlands coach Corinne Flowers said. “We’re pretty balanced in our offense and we have some good defensive players. But we’ll have competition in our league, so we’ll have to see what we can do.
“Beaumont seems strong—I watched them play. I know Yucaipa played in a summer league and had a pretty good turnout and I hear Cajon has some good freshmen. (Citrus Valley) is always solid defensively and I know a couple of the girls on REV’s team that are pretty good volleyball players so we’re just going to need to show up every league game.”
Said Redlands’ junior 6-foot-1 outside hitter Kameryn Carpenter, “We just need to go as hard as we can and hopefully win league, then go as far as we can in CIF. But our main focus is league.”
Here is a rundown of each team, in alphabetical order:
BEAUMONT
Coach: Jessica Lopez
2024: 14-5, 7-3
Outlook: Beaumont is coming off a second-place finish (tie with Citrus Valley) last season and has some key returnees.
Senior outside hitter Allison Chase is Beaumont’s go-to, six-rotation player.
Senior liberto Wesleya Ruiz is Beaumont’s top defender.
Sisters Summie and Gioia Florence will run the Cougars' 6-2 offense.
Senior 6-foot-1 middle blocker Crystal Adams adds some height to the front row. An intriguing newcomer is sophomore defensive specialist Lana Quach.
“We are excited to be together again and look forward to fighting for a CBL championship,” Lopez said.
Beaumont won the CBL title in 2021, edging out co-second place Redlands and Yucaipa for the championship.
CAJON
Coach: Jessica Loomer
2024: 12-14, 1-8
Outlook: Jessica Loomer takes over the program and has a healthy turnout with 15 players on her roster.
The starters for Cajon are Annalisa Garcia at outside hitter, Manaya Odom in the middle, Isabella Beltran at right-side hitter, Sayra Corona at setter, Kaitlynn Boehm at defensive specialist, Arhiana Pena at libero and Iven Isidro at defensive specialist.
“I want to help build this program into something amazing,” Loomer said. “I think this group of girls is a beautiful foundation to do just that. It is my hope this team surprises everyone this season.”
CITRUS VALLEY
Coach: Amber Beamer
2024: 17-11, 7-3
Outlook: Citrus Valley excelled in 2024 by tying with Beaumont for second place, two games behind champion Redlands High. The Blackhawks handed the Terriers their only CBL defeat in three years, winning a 5-set match.
Beamer has some pieces to work with this year but may be challenged up front.
Key starters for the Blackhawks are Sophia Swogger at libero, Delaney Allo at outside hitter, senior setter Corinne Martinez, and senior outside hitter Colette Prada.
“I think we’ll be competitive on defense, and it will come down to how smart we are on offense,” Beamer said. “We lost some hitters, so we’re going to have to be crafty.”
REDLANDS
Coach: Corinne Flowers
2024: 21-12, 9-1
Outlook: Big hitters such as Julia Tolstova (now playing at Massachusetts Institute of Technology) and Saniyah Sobers (Cal State Northridge) have passed through the program but the Terriers keep on reloading.
Carpenter had 102 kills last season and will be a force up front.
“It’s a lot of responsibility to step into the shoes of Julia and Saniyah after the impact they made,” Carpenter said. “But our program thrives on the pressure, and it makes us work harder.”
Redlands has one of its taller teams in years and Carpenter is joined up front by freshman 6-1 middle blocker Gia Johnson. She played for the powerful Rancho Valley 15-1 premier club team, so she is used to tough competition.
Another long-limbed Terrier is junior 6-1 middle blocker Jocelyn McNairy who had 59 kills last season.
Joining the party is junior 5-10 opposite hitter Charlie Willis who had 94 kills last season at Citrus Valley before transferring.
A key returnee for Redlands is senior 5-8 setter Natalia Caravia. Caravia had 34 kills and 100 digs last season.
Junior defensive specialist Gianna Corona should also make an impact.
REDLANDS EAST VALLEY
Coach: Shelby Dawson
2024: 8-16, 0-10
Outlook: The Wildcats have a first-year coach in Shelby Dawson. Dawson played at Summit High and the University of Redlands. She helped lead Summit to Sunkist League titles in 2018 and ’19.
There were six non-seniors listed on last year’s REV roster.
Daphne Manrique, a senior, had 41 kills last season, to go along with three blocks, 92 digs, and 90 assists.
Bella Quiroz, now a senior, had 31 digs.
Sophia Lee, a senior, had 85 digs.
Ava Barbosa, a senior, had 17 kills and 19 digs.
Kassidy Reiss, a junior, had nine kills and three blocks.
Emily Carlos, a senior, had 11 digs.
YUCAIPA
Coach: Amber Von Kaenel
2024: 21-10, 5-5
Outlook: Always competitive Yucaipa came in only fourth in league last season but was strong overall with a 21-10 record.
Key players for the Thunderbirds are senior 5-11 middle blocker Phynx Cook, senior 5-10 outside hitter Holly Hopkins, sophomore setter Aubrey Timboe, senior 6-0 middle blocker McKenzie Shellman, sophomore outside hitter Makayla O’Hara, junior 5-10 outside hitter Makenzie Montgomery, and sophomore 5-11 middle blocker Lyla Kuhn.
Shellman had 222 kills and 60 digs last season at Citrus Valley before transferring.
“We have some good athletes and don’t have anyone with overwhelming size, but we have players who touch 6 feet around the court,” Von Kaenel said.
