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RECAP:Cougars reach West Coast final
- Updated: August 22, 2026
Steele Canyon juniors Taylor Carpenter, left, and Crisa Garcia display their West Coast Challenge All-Tournament Team awards after leading the Cougars to a runner-up finish.
2026 EAST COUNTY PREP GIRLS VOLLEYBALL
Carpenter, Garcia earn all-tournament honors; Granite Hills goes 4-2, Santana opens with two victories
EastCountySports.com staff report
Steele Canyon won six consecutive matches and reached the West Coast Challenge championship match, highlighting a busy three-day stretch for East County girls volleyball teams.
The Cougars finished the tournament 6-1, while West Hills won all four of its Saturday matches and Granite Hills posted four tournament victories. Santana opened its season 2-0, Mountain Empire defeated Calexico in four sets, and Foothills Christian completed a road sweep.
Cougars charge into championship match
Steele Canyon swept its first five West Coast Challenge opponents before surviving Granite Hills in three sets to reach Saturday’s championship match.
Sage Creek avenged an earlier loss to the Cougars by winning the title match, 2-0, leaving Steele Canyon with a 6-1 tournament record and a 9-4 overall mark.
The Cougars opened Friday by defeating Fallbrook, 25-15, 25-23, and followed with a 25-15, 25-10 victory over Ramona. Steele Canyon completed its perfect first day by overwhelming Crawford, 25-9, 25-8.
Across Friday’s three sweeps, the Cougars outscored their opponents 150-80 while producing 64 kills, 38 aces and 11 blocks.
Junior Taylor Carpenter recorded six kills against Fallbrook and eight against Ramona. Senior Tiana Baker had five kills in each of the Ramona and Crawford victories, adding four blocks against Ramona.
Senior Macie Sicat contributed five kills on .571 hitting against Fallbrook, and junior Kate Ryan produced four kills on .571 hitting against Crawford.
Steele Canyon began Saturday by sweeping eventual champion Sage Creek, 2-0. The Cougars delivered one of their best offensive performances of the tournament, hitting .472 with 28 kills and only three attacking errors.
Carpenter put down 10 kills, Crisa Garcia had five kills on .556 hitting and three aces, and Baker added five kills and five total blocks. Sophomore setters Leah Heinen and Natalia Santana combined for 25 assists.
The Cougars then dominated Valhalla, 25-13, 25-5. Carpenter produced 11 kills on 12 attacks without an error for a remarkable .917 hitting percentage. Steele Canyon finished with 22 kills, 11 aces and four blocks.
Granite Hills provided the Cougars’ toughest test before the championship. Steele Canyon won the opening set 25-22, dropped the second 26-24 and prevailed 15-12 in the deciding set.
Carpenter led the Cougars with 15 kills on .406 hitting, while Garcia delivered 10 kills on .529 hitting. Junior Izzy Trotto converted all three of her attacks for kills.
Sage Creek then claimed the championship in straight sets despite Steele Canyon hitting .312 and recording 26 kills in the title match. Carpenter finished with eight kills, Garcia added seven on .467 hitting and Sicat had four on .571 hitting.
Trotto contributed three kills and five blocks, Santana distributed 17 assists, and sophomore Roxy Carrillo collected six digs.
Carpenter amassed 44 kills across Steele Canyon’s four Saturday matches.
Carpenter and Garcia were selected to the West Coast Challenge All-Tournament Team.
Photo caption: Steele Canyon juniors Taylor Carpenter, left, and Crisa Garcia display their West Coast Challenge All-Tournament Team awards after helping the Cougars reach the championship match.
West Hills goes unbeaten Saturday
West Hills rebounded from two Friday losses by sweeping through four matches Saturday and finishing the tournament 5-2.
The Wolf Pack opened Friday with a 2-0 victory over High Tech Chula Vista but fell to Sage Creek in three sets and Mira Mesa, 25-23, 25-12.
West Hills responded by defeating Ramona twice Saturday. The Wolf Pack won the first meeting 25-23, 25-17, then survived a rematch 25-17, 9-25, 18-16.
Between the two Ramona matches, West Hills defeated High Tech Chula Vista, 25-18, 17-25, 15-10. The Wolf Pack completed its 4-0 day by sweeping Monte Vista, 25-19, 25-12.
West Hills improved to 7-2 overall.
Eagles finish 4-2 in tournament
Granite Hills won its first three tournament matches in straight sets and later defeated Mira Mesa in three to finish the West Coast Challenge with a 4-2 record.
The Eagles swept O’Farrell Charter, 25-12, 25-15; Monte Vista, 25-8, 25-14; and Brawley, 25-16, 25-22, during a perfect Friday.
After falling to Scripps Ranch in Saturday’s opener, Granite Hills answered with a 25-21, 24-26, 15-7 victory over Mira Mesa.
The Eagles then pushed Steele Canyon to the limit before falling 25-22, 24-26, 15-12.
Granite Hills completed the weekend with a 5-2 overall record.
Santana starts season 2-0
Santana opened its season with consecutive victories over Olympian and Clairemont.
The Sultans survived a five-set match at Olympian on Thursday, winning the decisive set 15-12. Complete set scores were not reported reliably.
Santana returned home Friday and swept Clairemont, 25-22, 25-19, 25-20, to improve to 2-0.
Shawcroft leads RedHawks past Calexico
PINE VALLEY — Mountain Empire received 13 kills from Josalin Shawcroft in a 25-23, 25-15, 22-25, 25-15 victory over Calexico on Thursday.
Shawcroft also contributed three assists. Bibi Caceres finished with seven kills and two blocks, while Rowan Smith was selected as Mountain Empire’s player of the match.
The RedHawks accumulated 40 kills, 12 aces, 65 digs and 36 assists while improving to 2-1.
Knights sweep High Tech San Diego
SAN DIEGO — Foothills Christian recorded 11 aces and five blocks while sweeping High Tech San Diego, 25-15, 25-13, 25-1.
Sophomore Skye Molchonoff led the Knights with five kills. Senior Noelle Morr contributed four kills, 13 digs and two blocks, while junior Hailey Laughter added four kills in two sets.
Junior setter Olivia Morr delivered 12 assists, four aces and nine digs. Sophomore Molly Rohrer added three aces, and sophomore Lily Meyer collected nine digs.
Foothills Christian improved to 5-3.
Other East County tournament results
Valhalla records two victories
Tournament host Valhalla recorded victories over Canyon Hills and St. Joseph Academy during the West Coast Challenge.
The Norsemen swept both opponents Friday before falling to Scripps Ranch. Valhalla lost a three-set match to Brawley on Saturday and later fell to Steele Canyon, 25-13, 25-5.
Individual statistics and complete reliable set scores were unavailable.
Patriots push Mavericks to three
Christian earned a tournament victory over Palo Verde Valley and extended La Costa Canyon to three sets during its weekend competition.
The Patriots swept Palo Verde Valley on Friday before falling to Bishop’s in straight sets. Christian then took the second set from La Costa Canyon, 25-12, but the Mavericks prevailed 25-22, 12-25, 15-5.
Lakeland of Rathdrum, Idaho, completed Christian’s tournament by defeating the Patriots, 25-19, 26-24.
Christian finished the weekend with a 1-5 overall record.
Monarchs endure winless tournament
Monte Vista went winless during its four West Coast Challenge matches.
Brawley defeated the Monarchs, 25-16, 25-8, before Granite Hills prevailed 25-8, 25-14. O’Farrell Charter followed with a 25-16, 25-15 victory.
West Hills completed Monte Vista’s tournament with a 25-19, 25-12 decision. The Monarchs fell to 0-4.
Patrick Henry collects three wins
Patrick Henry produced three tournament victories and finished the weekend with a 4-2 overall record.
The Patriots swept Rancho Buena Vista and defeated Academy of Our Lady of Peace, 25-19, 25-20, on Friday.
Against OLP, Mariana Carvajal and Ella Conway recorded nine kills apiece. Carvajal hit .615, Conway hit .533, and Sydney Conway added three kills and three blocks. Patrick Henry finished with 27 kills and seven aces.
The Patriots added a 2-0 victory over Lakeland on Saturday. Carvajal led Patrick Henry with four kills and two blocks, while Sydney Conway recorded three kills on .600 hitting. The Patriots held advantages of 17-12 in kills and 21-14 in digs.
Bishop’s ended Patrick Henry’s tournament with a 25-17, 25-17 victory. Taylor Gonzalez led the Patriots with 10 kills on .360 hitting, and Patrick Henry collected 40 digs.
