MID-CITIES LEAGUE GIRLS VOLLEYBALL: Gahr’s turnaround season capped off by championship in new league

October 12, 2025

By Loren Kopff • @LorenKopff on X

For just over four decades, the Gahr High girls volleyball program was one of the best in the CIF-Southern Section, winning 22 San Gabriel Valley League championships from 1978-2019. But with the good times come the worst times, one of which was last season when the Gladiators went 0-8 in the Gateway League and missed the CIF-Southern Section playoffs for just the fourth time since at least 1978.

Now, in the Mid-Cities League, the Gladiators have gone from rock bottom to first place after they took care of Firebaugh High 25-17, 25-12, 23-25, 25-15 last Thursday to officially clinch the league crown and send the Falcons to second place with a 7-2 mark in the circuit.

Last season, Gahr went 15-20 overall but this season has been completely different with 10 returning players off a 2024 squad that had 17 players, six of whom graduated.

“This has just been a fun group to work with,” said Gahr head coach Charity Dennis. “A lot of these girls starting this year were not starting last year. So we’re building from the ground up. Just their willingness to put in the work at practice…this started back in June. There were no egos this year; there were no attitudes, everyone just came ready to work and compete this year.”

“It’s really good,” said senior outside hitter Genesis Islas of the turnaround. “It’s a really good feeling coming off last year. It’s a really nice experience [winning league], especially in my senior year, and I really love this team.”

Gahr (23-9, 9-0) got off to a fast start in the first set with junior defensive specialist Jayden Sydenham serving four straight points to put her team up 6-2. The Falcons, though, responded with five straight points for their second of three leads, none of them being more than a one point advantage.

Sydenham would finish the set with eight straight points served which included three kills from sophomore outside hitter Violet Hackworth, a pair of blocks from junior opposite hitter Raeana Sousa, a kill from senior opposite hitter Tzarie Paalam and an ace.

Although Gahr never trailed in the second set and it was tied just once, the score was 15-10 after the first rotation when sophomore setter Sykoya Molina went to work. Following the fifth kill of the match from Islas, Molina reeled off half a dozen points to put away the set. She had three aces, and Sousa had two more blocks in that scoring spree.

The Gladiators, on senior night for their five upperclassmen, were seeking their ninth sweep in league action and 18^th overall, including tournament matches. But Firebaugh had other plans as it turned a 13-12 lead early in the second rotation into a 22-15 advantage. Gahr never led by more than two points and its last lead in the set came at 7-6.

“I was hoping to get a clean 3-0 across the board, but we let them in,” said Dennis. “They were taking big swings, and we didn’t respond fast enough in terms of our blocks and adjustments on defense. But props to [Firebaugh]; they really stepped up in that third set and we were able to close it in the fourth.”

But Molina quickly change that in the fourth set, serving six straight points to put her team up 7-1. Moments later, freshman libero Kylee Shaver had a kill and a pair of aces as part of four straight points to make it 16-4. Molina began the second rotation with an ace to put Gahr up 22-11 and the last of the 22 aces Gahr served was by senior middle blocker Samantha Lousiale, which ended the match.

“We told her, nothing is given to you; everything is earned,” said Dennis of Molina. “If they’re going to go out there and earn it, the game is theirs, and they decided to make that switch.”

Hackworth, Islas and Sousa all had a dozen kills with Sousa adding four blocks and Hackworth pitching in with three aces. Paalam and senior middle blocker Jessalyn Ecevedo joined the offensive party with seven kills each and Molina led the serving department with 10 aces.

“I think I definitely could have done better, but I’m pleased,” said Islas. “But this is a pretty cool team and I’m really happy that I got this team for my senior year. It’s a phenomenal group of girls. I love them all equally and I’m really happy that I got to play with this team for my last year.”

“Their growth has been so much fun to watch, ever since their freshmen year where they didn’t get much time at all,” said Dennis of Ecevedo and Islas. “So last year where Jess got playing time, Gen never saw the court, and then she got a little bit of time the year before. Now, all of a sudden, she’s a difference maker, and she’s also a captain on the team as well. But those two are such good team leaders; they lead with humility, and they work the hardest out of everyone. They lead by example.”

Gahr ended the regular season this past Tuesday at last place Dominguez High, which has not won a league match, and will find out its first playoff opponent and site on Saturday morning when the brackets are released with the playoffs beginning on Wednesday.

“I think we definitely made it a point this year to have a good team bond and make it a goal to come out and show off because coming off last year, it was a top priority,” said Islas.

“I’m hoping we make a run,” said Dennis. “We have the pieces; we’re an extremely undersized team, but we have a lot of heart, and we have a lot of fight that keeps us in it with the big dogs.”