Sports

Lady bulldogs fight a hard battle and rise above defeat at Queens of Cameron

Carlee Macias and Aleena Ortega • September 8, 2023

Varsity players stand on their sideline in anticipation of announcing the starting lineup, national anthem, and tunnel entrance.

One of the biggest games of the girls’ volleyball season, the annual Queens of Cameron (QOC), was supported by big crowds this past Wednesday. The rival game between West Covina Bulldogs and South Hills Huskies was met with huge stakes to see who would take home the crowned title. There were three games; first level frosh – a new team of freshman then junior varsity (JV), a mixture of returning juniors and sophomores, and lastly varsity, comprised of sophomores, juniors and seniors.

Preparation is everything; with nerves at an all time high it can be hard to focus. Senior and Varsity Captain Anisa Palm said that throughout the game she constantly told herself to stay calm, to not worry about crowds and to play her game. She does this in order to keep her composure and avoid cracking under the pressure of the fully packed gym. While trying to keep herself calm she helps her team by encouraging them and keeping them focused.

“We can play very well together,” said Palm.

Senior setter Anisa Palm and senior Middle Machijah Harville go up to block a kill from the Huskies outside hitter. (Carlee Macias )

Palm was excited for this game, being her last QOC, she wanted to win. She hoped her team would work together and would see her players get spectacular blocks and impeccable kills.

The freshmen, also known as Frosh, team fell to the Huskies with a final score of 25-11. Coaches and players both agreed that they put up a good fight with their biggest obstacle being communication.

Freshman coach, Shyann Ramirez has been coaching at West Covina High for three years. Ramirez explained how teaching the basics comes a long way for her team. Through reassurance and hands-on learning, everyone can see the improvement.

“At first, we had a couple people not sure how to play volleyball, but now they are able to pick themselves back up during a big game,” said Ramirez. “They did really well for this being their first big game,”

As each season continues, not only are freshmen growing, but also coaches, especially with a new JV and varsity coach.

“I’m learning every year to be more hands-on, not only telling them, but showing them,” said Ramirez.

With potential ahead, freshmen players will continue to grow and strive for success.

Freshman coach Shyann Ramirez strategies with her frosh team in hopes of winning the game. (Al)

The JV team’s game was filled with even more energy as the crowd packed the gym.

Sophomore Kalea Sunabe, captain of the JV team, encouraged her teammates and never gave up. Although JV lost to Huskies, they finished off the third set with a close score of 25-20.

“ told my team to take deep breaths when they needed it, cause it can get very intense,” said Sunabe.

With a close win, Sunabe hopes that her team will improve by overcoming this challenging game with confidence and strategy to defeat South Hills for their next Queens of Cameron game.

“We were up there, we could have won,” said Sunabe.

A posed photo of junior varsity after their queens game. (Aleena )

Varsity played a three set game first scoring 24-26 then second set scoring 9-25 eventually falling to the Huskies in the third set going 17-25.

Senior and outside hitter Carmella Harper on her knees from a serve against the Lady huskies. (Carlee Macias)

Senior Carmella Harper, who takes on the position of outside hitter, reflected on the game and her journey from playing on JV and now varsity.

“Even though we didn’t win, we played with all our potential and we put so much heart and dedication into this game,” said Harper.

Despite the outcome, Harper expressed that it was a learning experience that further bonded the players.

“This was my last Queens and seeing the people I played with on JV become stronger on varsity means a lot to me,” said Harper.

There is much on the line with each school bringing their all to win the title of Queens of Cameron, which can leave some players feeling overwhelmed. To combat the pressure, Harper underwent a lot of mental preparation.

“For a game like this, the best thing to do is to block out everything, take a deep breath, and take it one step at a time,” Harper continued.

Throughout the gym, chants from parents, teammates, and students fuel the players’ desire to win for their school.

“When we hustled the crowd was with us the entire time, making the game more special,” said Harper.

A source of energy comes from Bulldog Nation, WCHS’ student body representatives, who encourage school spirit and crowd support for sports teams. Emmanuel Quezada, secretary of Bulldog Nation, expressed his experience encouraging such an intense rival game.