Newport-Mesa girls volleyball dream team

Sage Hill’s Cat Dailey did it all for a Lightning team that won its first CIF Southern Section title in girls’ volleyball.The smallest Newport-Mesa school created the most noise this season in varsity girls’ volleyball, and one player was the distinct go-to girl and leader of that team.

Sage Hill captured its first-ever CIF Southern Section title, and the team’s standout, Cat Dailey, is the Daily Pilot’s Girls’ Volleyball Player of the Year.

The 6-foot-1 senior, Sage Hill’s leader in every area this season, signed to play volleyball at Cal next year. She improved her defensive skills and her passing ability to become a complete player, but it was her devastating hitting ability that stymied opponents the most.

Dailey had a match-high 24 kills to lead the Lightning to a 28-26, 25-23, 25-20 victory over St. Margaret’s in the CIF Southern Section Division IV-A championship game.

Sage Hill and St. Margaret’s split a pair of five-game Academy League matches. When the teams met again in the CIF final, many were expecting another five-game barnburner, but Dailey was too dominant to let Sage Hill lose even one game.

“I think about what it would be like is she was not there,” Sage Hill Coach Dan Thomassen said. “We would have been a completely different team.”

Dailey seemed pretty dominant when she had 20 kills in Sage Hill’s five-game victory over St. Margaret’s during the regular season. But she topped herself with 24 kills in three games against the same team in the final.

Dailey led the Lighting in kills, aces, blocks and digs this season.

“She has tremendous instinct and desire, she was our best player at every position, and she was a little bit of a coach on the court,” Thomassen said. “She’s everything a coach could want in a player.”

Next year, Dailey will attempt to make the adjustment from a small high school program to a NCAA Division I program in the Golden Bears.

“I think she’ll help out Cal quite a bit,” Thomassen said. “It’s a big jump up in skill level, but she’ll adjust.”

Here’s a look at this year’s Dream Team.

* Cat Dailey: The Sage Hill senior performed beyond expectations and led the Lightning to the promised land. For her dominance, Dailey was selected the CIF Southern Section Division IV Co-Player of the Year. Dailey is a dangerous hitter from anywhere on the court and should fit in well at Cal.

* Bryana Carey: Newport Harbor’s senior opposite hitter was named the Sea View League MVP. Carey helped lead the Sailors to the Sea View League championship. Carey will be displaying her considerable talents at William and Mary next season.

* Megan Munce: Newport Harbor’s Munce emerged as a force for the Sailors in just her sophomore year. Munce is one of those coveted setters who is just as dangerous spiking the ball as she is dishing out assists. Munce was an All-Sea View League first-team selection for the Sailors.

* Stacie Watson: The Estancia junior setter is another in a short list of setters who are very dangerous hitters as well. Watson helped lead the Eagles to a 15-7 finish, two wins over rival Costa Mesa, and a rare playoff appearance for the program. Watson was an All-Golden West League first-team selection for Estancia.

* Jaye Hellmich: The Estanica junior played the net like a middle blocker and spiked the ball like an outside hitter. She teamed up with Watson to lead Estancia to a second-place finish in the Golden West League. The Eagles almost knocked off league champion Ocean View -- Hellmich had 10 kills and seven aces in the five-game setback. Hellmich was an All-Golden West League first-team pick for the Eagles.

* Tracy Bjelland: The senior outside hitter was an All-Golden West League first-team selection for Costa Mesa, which took third place in league and lost in a wild-card match in the playoffs. Bjelland was Costa Mesa’s go-to girl when the game was on the line.

* Haywood Wright: The senior middle blocker may be known more for her dominance on the basketball court, but this year she developed into one of the best middle blockers in Division IV. Wright helped control the net for a Sage Hill team that won its first-ever CIF title. Wright was an All-CIF Division IV second-team selection.

2005 DAILY PILOT ALL-NEWPORT-MESA

GIRLS’ VOLLEYBALL POLO DREAM TEAM