- April 23, 2024
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HORIZON WEST They must be putting something in the water at Bridgewater Middle School.
The local middle school celebrated last week as its girls volleyball team won a third consecutive Orange County Public Schools Championship — capping a third consecutive undefeated season — this time without losing a single set throughout the season.
The Lady Bobcats defeated Maitland in the championship game Dec. 14.
“This group, this year, they were phenomenal,” head coach Layla West said. “We just kind of built a family around it.”
The team was led this fall by sisters Cassidy and Amanda Chambers — two of the top-ranked beach volleyball players in the state — and Ana Bleeker, though a total-team effort helped the Bobcats through a season that did not see an opponent score more than 20 points on them in a given set.
Other regular starters for the team included Andie Dolven, Arianna Hernandez, Lissette Stephens and Savannah Cicerchia.
West, who has coached the team for six years and this season was assisted by Katiane Bleeker, said most of the girls at Bridgewater also play for highly competitive club teams.
“I definitely need to give my compliments to the club coaches,” West said.
The success of Bridgewater’s volleyball program in recent years bodes well for the new volleyball program at Windermere High that will begin play when the school opens in the fall. With zoning finalized for the new school, all of Bridgewater’s athletes will move on to the new school.
Although the dynastic run of the girls volleyball team was more recent, it was not the only cause for celebration, either. The girls soccer team, coached by Brian Boylan, also brought home some hardware back in October. In the championship game, which took place Oct. 19 at West Orange High, the Lady Bobcats topped rival SunRidge Middle School.
The Lakeview Middle School boys volleyball team finished as runner-up last week at the OCPS Championship — a first for the program. Captains Kevin Roberts and Ben Acton were the team’s only returning players. The team also received strong play from Kevin Roberts, Gabriel Thornton, Leo Borunda, Aarun Lui, Ben Acton, Jordi Moreno, Isaac McCree and Jamarus Barber. The team is coached by Wilma Wright.
Contact Steven Ryzewski at [email protected].
