Sary leads OCVB to title

The Orange County Volleyball Club 17 Blue team, which featured MVP Cinnamon Sary of Newport Harbor High, went 11-0 to win the 17s national division title in the USA Volleyball Girls’ Junior National Championships Saturday in Atlanta.

Tatum Norton of Newport Harbor and Ashley Cox were also named All-Americans as they earned all-tournament team honors with Sary.

Newport Harbor’s Biz Buckingham and Kasey Thompson, as well as Corona del Mar High’s Britton Taylor and Chrissy Watson were also a part of the championship.

OCVB dropped just three sets throughout the tournament. Charlie Brande, a former coach at CdM, Newport Harbor and UC Irvine, was the head coach of the OCVB team.

The champions also included: Jordyn Alessi, Carla Cantarella, Ashley Cox, Amy Cultra, Tyler Davis, Lauren Hoenecke and Jasmine Warmington.

“Cinnamon was a warrior,� Brande said when reached by phone. “She was always matched up with the best player on the team. She was just tough.�

Even though the OCVB team went undefeated, winning each match in the tournament proved to be a challenge, Brande said.

“We had to really battle, match after match,� Brande said. “We were undefeated, but they were all battles. We had to step up at the end. It was a situation in which you have to step up and fight and we really stepped up and fought. It was great.�

— From staff reports