A rivalry with a friendly twist

Erik Boal

The memories of their experience at the USA Junior Olympic Girls’

Volleyball Championships weren’t even a day old and already the

discussion had begun.

Following an 11th-place finish out of 64 teams in the girls’

17-and-under club division at the June 25-July 2 event, San Gabriel

Volleyball Club 17 Roshambo teammates Brittany Esser, Kelly Smiland,

Courtney Turner and Caitlin Withers didn’t waste any time shifting

their focus to the 2003 high school season.

So the quartet devoted part of their return flight from Atlanta to

the first of many debates regarding which team would establish area

supremacy this year -- Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy or La Canada?

*--*

YEAR WINNER RESULT

1983 La Canada 15-9, 15-9, 15-13

1984 La Canada 15-4, 15-8, 8-15, 15-2 1985 Flintridge Sacred Heart 15-8, 10-15, 15-10, 12-15, 17-15 1986 Flintridge Sacred Heart 15-10, 15-5, 4-15, 11-15, 15-10 1987 Flintridge Sacred Heart 15-13, 5-15, 8-15, 15-13, 15-11 1988 Flintridge Sacred Heart 15-7, 15-7, 15-17, 15-3

1989 Flintridge Sacred Heart 15-8, 15-11, 15-10

1990 Flintridge Sacred Heart 15-13, 15-11, 12-15, 15-11 1991 La Canada 15-6, 15-11, 3-15, 15-2

1992 Flintridge Sacred Heart 15-1, 17-15, 15-11

1993 La Canada 15-9, 15-6, 13-15, 15-9

1994 La Canada 16-14, 7-15, 15-11, 15-7

1995 Flintridge Sacred Heart 15-5, 15-5, 13-15, 12-15, 15-13 1996 Flintridge Sacred Heart 10-15, 15-8, 15-12, 15-7

1997 Flintridge Sacred Heart 15-13, 15-2, 15-10

1998 Flintridge Sacred Heart 15-7, 15-10, 15-9

1999 La Canada 11-15, 15-10, 14-16, 15-11, 15-12 2000 Flintridge Sacred Heart 3-15, 15-9, 15-13, 12-15, 15-10 2001 Flintridge Sacred Heart 15-13, 15-10, 10-15, 13-15, 15-0

2002 Flintridge Sacred Heart 15-5, 15-12, 15-8

*--*

It’s a topic the four individuals -- Turner on behalf of the

Spartans and the remaining trio representing the Tologs -- have

admitted they can go back and forth on for hours at a time, but they

also know that talk is cheap, and eventually their words need to be

backed up on the court.

“We talked about it a lot on the trip,” said Withers, a

17-year-old senior defensive specialist.

“It’s a huge deal to all of us [at Flintridge Sacred Heart]

because it’s La Canada. But we’re also friends outside of school and

volleyball and we hang out together on weekends.”

So after a long summer -- which, for Turner, was highlighted by

La Canada’s convincing two-game sweep of Flintridge Sacred Heart in

the Pasadena Poly Summer League -- and another five weeks of practice

and nonleague competition, the day has arrived for the four friends

to support their words with some big-time actions.

“From the time that you [arrive at Flintridge Sacred Heart] you’re

taught that La Canada is your rival,” said Smiland, who, along with

Esser, Withers and the rest of her teammates will try to lead the

Tologs (2-4) to their fourth straight win against the Spartans (4-3)

at approximately 5:30 p.m. today at La Canada High.

“It has something to do with the schools being so close and

everybody knowing each other and being friends and playing together

for so long.”

Said Turner, a senior middle blocker: “I know this is really big

for us. It’s a home [match] and we’re all seniors and we’re all

really excited because this is what we play for.”

*

Although Turner’s anticipation and excitement level to play

Flintridge Sacred Heart is as high as it has been in previous years,

unfortunately for the returning News-Press All-Area second-team

selection, that enthusiasm has yet to produce a victory in three

previous meetings -- junior varsity as a freshman, varsity the past

two seasons -- against the Tologs.

But with Flintridge Sacred Heart graduating five All-Area players

-- including Player of the Year Jillian Davis (now the starting

libero for the undefeated Cal women’s volleyball team) -- from last

year’s CIF Southern Section Division IVAA runner-up squad, and La

Canada returning seven seniors with at least one year of varsity

experience, the signs began to indicate a shift in the balance of

power during the summer.

“We went into summer knowing La Canada had a great team and they

played really well [at Pasadena Poly],” said Esser, a 17-year-old

senior setter/opposite hitter, who has earned All-Area honors the

past two seasons, including a first-team selection in 2002.

“[The loss] made us realize that we had to work that much harder.”

Despite their best efforts to improve, the Tologs have struggled

at times during the early parts of this season, and find themselves

entering today’s match with a bit of a bruised ego. In addition to

losing to the Spartans in the summer, Flintridge Sacred Heart is

mired in a four-match losing streak, the most recent setback coming

after it squandered a two-game lead in Thursday’s five-game loss at

Arcadia.

“Last year, we walked into a gym and we expected to win,” said

Withers, one of four athletes on Nancy Tinkham’s squad -- in

addition to Esser, Amy Matakovich and Smiland -- who competed for

SGVC at either the 17- or 18-and-under level.

“And [losing in the summer] was like a big surprise because we

were on the other side.”

Said Smiland, a 16-year-old junior outside hitter who earned

All-Area second-team honors last year: “I think we still have

confidence, we just know that we have to count on certain people to

come through.

“[When we lost in the summer] it made us realize that we’re equal.

We just can’t think that we’re going to walk [into their gym] and

beat them. So we take the attitude like we have everything to gain

and nothing to lose.”

*

Aside from the rewards that come from playing against some of the

best club teams in the country, the biggest thing the four area

talents have gained from competing for SGVC are the friendships.

“[Courtney and I] are really good friends off the court, and I

think a big reason why is because we have really similar

personalities,” said Esser, one of two returning All-Area first-team

selections on Coach Kenji Mukai’s 17 Roshambo roster, along with

Flintridge Prep junior outside hitter Lindsay Fletcher.

“[During the match] if I hit it and she blocks me, I know I can

look across the net and say ‘good block’ and she’ll do the same.

“But as much as we are friends, there’s also a huge competitive

side to us. And, in a way, I think it’s a disadvantage to both of us

that we know each other so well.”

Said Turner, one of five players on Ted Grissom’s squad -- along

with Kasey Hurlbutt, Amy Mickelson, Lindsay Roberts and Suzanne

Swenson -- who played for various SGVC teams during the past club

season: “It’s a lot more fun now because I know them a lot better

than I did last year.

“Brittany and I shared a room in Atlanta, and we’ve been hanging

out a lot [on weekends] since we got back.”

Added Smiland: “We’re all friends and we all want to win [today],

but that’s also what makes club so fun because [all these talented

players are] on the same team.”

But fun, friendship and school pride aside, today’s match is all

about bragging rights, especially when tryouts for SGVC’s upcoming

season begin Oct. 19.

“Each season feeds off each other,” Esser said.

“We beat them last year, but it was such a great [match]. But

every time we play La Canada, it’s always a huge deal.”

Said Turner: “The energy, excitement and competitiveness between

the two teams is just awesome. For some reason, the rivalry with

Flintridge Sacred Heart always brings out the best in us.”

A rivalry that brings out the best in a group of friends who

should have a lot to talk about between now and June 2004, when

SGVC’s top 18-and-under team travels to the Junior Olympics in

Houston.