Ripon captured its first Trans-Valley League girls volleyball title in seven years this fall, and its dominance was reflected in the postseason awards.
Versatile setter Reagan Wilkerson earned Most Valuable Player, sophomore outside hitter Adriana Dorn received Most Outstanding Player and first-year coach Greg Soliz is Coach of the Year.
Five Ripon players made all-league. In football, senior tight end Owen Wilbur and junior cornerback Dru Orlando are Ripon’s lone first-team
Ripon’s volleyball team only lost two of 32 sets in league play, finishing 10-0 and 30-7 overall while returning to the Sac-Joaquin Section Division IV playoffs and Northern Regionals.
Wilkerson was one of the state’s most prolific scoring servers while splitting setting duties with fellow two-time All-TVL selection Kaya Whittaker and helping to anchor the back row defense. In league, Wilkerson tallied 172 assists, 50 aces, 49 digs, 16 kills and three blocks. In back-to-back TVL matches, Wilkerson served up a whopping 11 and 15 aces in sweeps against Riverbank and Livingston, respectively.
The 6-foot Dorn managed to stand out in the Indians’ balanced front-row attack and was also a key six-rotation player. She led them with 92 kills to go with 32 aces and 62 digs.
Whitaker netted 120 assists, 37 digs, 30 aces and nine kills en route to a second all-league selection. Seniors Kylee Fullmer (82 kills, six blocks, 21 digs) and Katherine Eskes (77 kills, six blocks, 24 digs) round out Ripon’s All-TVL honorees.
The football team came in fifth place in the TVL with a 1-4 record, finishing 3-7 overall as ill-timed injuries plagued the Indians in their late-season push for a playoff berth.
The 6-foot-3, 250-pound Wilbur was a bright spot as a first-year senior, leading Ripon with 10 receptions for 188 yards in league. Orlando had one interception and three pass deflections.
Making the All-TVL second team are senior wing back Xzavier Clark, sophomore defensive tackle Tipeti Paini, junior defensive tackle Logan Spear, junior inside linebacker Eric Guevara and junior safety Nathan Gaines.
Major award winners: Escalon quarterback Donovan Rozevink (MVP), Hilmar RB/QB Caden Bailey (Outstanding Offensive Player), Hilmar tackle Alex Cardenas (Outstanding Offensive Lineman), Escalon fullback Josh Graham (Outstanding Offensive Back), Modesto Christian’s Jeremiah Bernard (Outstanding Receiver), Escalon defensive tackle Ryan Lewis (Outstanding Defensive Player), Escalon’s Nate Krieger (Outstanding Linebacker), Hughson defensive tackle Ryan Borrelli (Outstanding Defensive Lineman) and Escalon cornerback Sam Jimenez (Outstanding Defensive Back).
