Lone senior starter ignites Newport

The perennial powerhouse Newport Harbor High girls volleyball team

doesn’t have a ton of height in a starting lineup that boasts just

one senior, so 20-year coach Dan Glenn hopes it’ll have it’s share of

gumption.

The Sailors will miss All-Sea View League first-team outside

hitter Kiley Hall, who also was an All-CIF Southern Section Division

II pick as a senior last year.

But the team returns six starters, including senior captain Bryana

Carey, a 6-foot-1 middle blocker and third-year varsity starter.

“She’s the leader,” Glenn said. “I think she’s going to have a

great year. She makes players around her better.”

The players around Carey in the Newport Harbor starting lineup

figure to be outside hitters Coco Yokoyama (5-foot-8 junior) and

Jamie Heenan (5-foot-8 sophomore), middle blocker/outside hitter

Megan Tomam (5-foot-11 junior), sophomore setters Alesha Young and

Megan Munch and sophomore libero Cassidy Gayner.

Yokoyama and Carey were second team All-Sea View League selections

last season, when Newport Harbor tied for the league title with

Woodbridge and reached the CIF Division II-AA semifinals.

Newport Harbor hopes to make up for a lack of height at the

outside hitter positions with stellar technical skills.

“Hopefully our serving and ball-control will be strengths,” Glenn

said. “We don’t have a lot of height, but we have a lot of good

volleyball players. And this group works really hard. I’m excited to

see how we’ll do.”

Other Sailors battling for playing time include middle

blocker/outside hitter Mary Buckingham (5-foot-11 freshman), outside

hitter Katie Regan (5-foot-8 sophomore), middle blocker Jessica

Robson (6-2 junior) and outside hitter Hallie Mitchell (5-foot-7

senior).

“All of the kids don’t understand the concept of the CIF playoffs

and all that, they have a lot to learn,” Glenn said. “But there’s

great potential for growth. Hopefully we’ll be playing some good

volleyball by the end of the year.”

Newport Harbor figures to battle it out with Woodbridge for the

Sea View League title again. Foothill also could be a factor.

Newport is ranked No. 5 in CIF’s Division II-AA behind Mira Costa,

Edison, Mater Dei and Redondo. Making it deep into the postseason

will be no cakewalk.

“It’s by far the toughest division in CIF,” Glenn said. “If we get

there, it will be no easy ride.”

ROSTER

Bryana Carey Sr.

Megan Toman Jr.

Coco Yokoyama Jr.

Jamie Heenan So.

Alesha Young So.

Megan Munch So.

Cassidy Gayner So.

Mary Buckingham Fr.

Jessica Robson Jr.

Katie Regan So.

Hallie Mitchell Sr.

Coach: Dan Glenn (20th year)