The Mater Dei and Sage Hill boys volleyball teams won CIF State championships over the weekend.

This is the first season that CIF State championships have been held for boys volleyball. Previously, the volleyball season ended with regional playoffs.

All of the state finals were played at Fresno City College.

In the Division II final on Friday, Mater Dei defeated Clovis Buchannan in four sets, 17-25, 25-23, 25-19, 25-20.

Monarchs sophomore Jeremiah Postasi had a team-high 16 kills in the match.

Sage Hill won the Division III championship Saturday by defeating San Francisco International, 25-19, 25-16, 25-23.

Mira Costa continued its season-long dominance by winning the Division I title by defeating San Jose Archbishop Mitty, 25-14, 15-15, 25-21.

The Mustangs defeated Huntington Beach 3-0 in the CIF Southern California Regional final and defeated Huntington Beach in five sets in the CIF Southern Section Division 1 final.

LONG BEACH, CA — Long Beach has been selected to host seven sporting events for the 2028 Los Angeles Paralympic Games, city officials said in a statement Tuesday.

Long Beach’s waterfront will serve as the backdrop for para climbing, para swimming, shooting para sport, sitting volleyball, blind football (soccer), para rowing and para canoe-sprint, according to city officials.

“We are incredibly proud and honored that Long Beach will host seven Paralympic sporting events for the 2028 Los Angeles Paralympic Games,” Mayor Rex Richardson said in a statement Tuesday. “This milestone truly showcases our commitment to inclusion, athletic excellence and community spirit.”

SEE ALSO: Flying Taxis May Help Ease LA Traffic During 2028 Olympics

The 2028 games mark the debut of para climbing, which, along with para swimming, will take place in the convention center lot, Long Beach city officials said. Shooting para sport will take place at a temporary indoor range, sitting volleyball at the Long Beach Arena, blind football (soccer) at Alamitos Beach, and para rowing and para canoe-spring at Marine Stadium, city officials said.

Earlier this year, Long Beach was selected to host 11 Olympic games in 20028, including beach volleyball, handball, water polo, sailing and target shooting.

City officials said Tuesday that Long Beach’s involvement in the Olympic and Paralympic games will raise its international profile as a “world-renowned destination for business, tourism and special events.”

“It will also generate significant economic activity for the city and enhance the livability of Long Beach residents and visitors for generations to come,” city officials said in a statement.

The Olympic Games are set to take place from July 14 to 30, while the Paralympic Games will be hosted from Aug. 15 to 27.

To ease travel in and around game venues, Los Angeles County officials are considering implementing a water taxi and a flying taxi.

Texas volleyball announced its complete 2025 schedule Tuesday, which will feature 10 home matches at Gregory Gymnasium as well as a historic contest at Moody Center. 

Brandie Collins

LUSK – The Town of Lusk Recreation Department will be hosting Tiger Volleyball and Football camps on June 13 and 14.

Tiger Volleyball Camp will be for grades third through sixth and seventh through twelve grades. The camp will be held at Niobrara County High School Gym. The Recreation Grant is covering registration fees for Niobrara County School District #1 participants.

The Tiger Football Camp will be held at the Niobrara County High School football field. There will be one on one instruction with Chadron State Coaches and players. The camp will host grades third through sixth and seventh through twelve. The registration deadline for t-shirt by May 26. Registration closes the morning of June 13. The Recreation Grant is covering registration fees for Niobrara County School District #1 participants.

Registration forms can be found at the Town Office or at www.townofluskwy.gov. For more information please contact Jessica Yeager 307-340-1072.

By DANIEL LOCKE | Staff Writer 

PELHAM – The 2025 campaign will not begin until August, but that has not stopped the Pelham Middle and High School volleyball teams from making an impact in the community.

The annual Pelham Volleyball Youth Camp is taking place at Pelham Park Middle School from June 3-5, and Pelham High School head varsity coach Perry Robinson is pleased with what he has seen.

“It’s gone well,” Robinson said. “I think we’re at 21 campers. We’d always like more, but we’re always excited about that level of campers coming in. We have our high school and middle school players in there assisting the whole time. It’s good for them to learn to give back to the sport that they’re playing.”

While Robinson’s players are not focused on improving their skills during the camp, he believes the experience they gain from teaching the sport will translate to their performance on the court this season.

“If you want to know something a whole lot better, you teach it,” Robinson said. “Now they’re in the teaching, demonstrating mode instead of the playing mode. We know it benefits them, but it’s fun to hear them say they enjoyed it and they learned about being on this side of the game.”

One of Robinson’s favorite parts of the camp is the way it allows the program to give back to the community. The current middle and high school players coaching up the next generation of Panthers provides a unique opportunity to build chemistry, not just within the volleyball program, but throughout the city as well.

“We represent Pelham, we don’t forget that,” Robinson said. “Every time we can get younger players from Pelham in the gym and have our high school and middle school players interact with them, that’s always a win.”

Robinson could not ignore the enthusiasm shown by the middle and high school players to participate, leading to a change in the practice schedule.

“We just love doing the camp,” Robinson said. “Obviously, it’s a little bit of a fundraiser for us, but it’s way more than just that. We tried to do the camp where half the (middle and high school) kids were at practice and the other half were at the camp, and they all wanted to be at the camp. I learned real quick to let them go hang out with the younger players, and it is time well spent.”

The camp allows Robinson and the Panthers to build connections with players who could potentially appear on Pelham’s middle and high school rosters in the future. They refuse to let the opportunity to build relationships with the next group of athletes go to waste.

“Some players we’ve seen a couple summers in a row. To be able to see where they are, just watching them grow up and then seeing what they’ve retained from earlier sessions with us, is massive,” Robinson said. “All of that’s fun. Then you start recognizing parents, and we send them a fall schedule. ‘Come to a match, let us know you’re coming. We want you and your daughter to be here and see what high school athletics are all about.’”

The connections built with future athletes continue to pay dividends once their time at Pelham comes to an end. As the years go on, alumni support for the program continues to grow.

“We have former players and their parents still coming back to watch us, not only when we’re good, but when we’re having an average season. When they’re in town, they come,” Robinson said. “We get checked in with alumni all the time, so I’m really appreciative of (former) players when they want to come back and watch us. We’ve actually had a few that were in town that we’ve asked to come talk to the team.”

As the Panthers aim to build on their 6A state tournament runner-up campaign with another successful season, they are determined not to overlook the opportunity to bond with future athletes and strengthen the connection between the community and the program.