Torrey Stafford presents rebuilding Marymount volleyball workforce title hopes

Each and every week was hell week. They trudged into the health and fitness center at 5:45 a.m., going for walks out with shirts drenched, limbs rubbery, tanks on vacant.

Maybe Torrey Stafford knew what she was walking into at Los Angeles Marymount Significant past year right after a transfer from Torrance Bishop Montgomery. She understood the Sailors had ridiculous talent. She understood they had anticipations to gain just about every match. But she did not expect this grind.

“Is it heading to be like this all season?” she’d talk to her senior teammates soon after another grueling practice.

“Yeah,” they’d affirm, making entertaining of her for the dilemma, for the reason that it was all time.

A 12 months and a after-in-a-life span volleyball crew later, Stafford sits on the sideline of a summertime exercise session. The team working drills at the rear of her is no longer an undefeated juggernaut but a contemporary-faced crew with no wins and no losses. Absent is Elia Rubin’s fireplace, Kerry Keefe’s power, Kelly Belardi’s regular hand.

Stafford is what continues to be. And all of a sudden, it is her task to answer that issue she once requested.

“We’re performing this again this year,” now-senior Stafford reported, unwavering. “We’re undertaking this yet again … I’m confident that we can repeat what we did past calendar year.”

This was 35- with just a handful of sets missing, the greatest workforce in the country, a point out champion who in some way felt even better. This was a selection of talent rarely paralleled in California girls’ volleyball record. This is a little something nearly not possible to repeat, a team of graduated seniors nearly unachievable to swap, a thing mentor Cari Klein and assistant Tuan Le and most everybody attempting to fill unfillable shoes know.

Yet to Stafford, that just indicates she is aware what it usually takes.

“People imagine Marymount’s heading to be down this yr,” claimed Santa Ana Mater Dei mentor Dan O’Dell. “But I do not see them remaining down when they have Torrey Stafford.”

The praise pours in from almost everywhere. Klein claimed Stafford’s the most finish player in the state. Mira Costa mentor Cam Inexperienced identified as her one of the very best in the nation.

“Her video game is expanding exponentially,” explained Harvard-Westlake mentor Natalie Morgan.

When requested if she felt she was at the major of the Southern Portion expertise pool, Stafford paused for a pair seconds.

“…Yeah,” she answered, a meek smile spreading on her facial area.

It’s not braggadocious. Stafford’s electric power is devastating, her serving robust. Her attacks are tactical, her block stands tall. Her passing has long gone from good to excellent.

This is, by the way, all describing a participant who was second in kills as a junior on 1 of the best girls’ volleyball teams of all time.

“I acquired a textual content from a coach that was like, ‘Holy cow — I haven’t viewed this variety of enhancement in a yr from any individual,’” Klein said.

She’s hardly stepped off the courtroom considering that the point out championship win. Upcoming arrived club period with Sunshine Volleyball, then routines with Marymount, then Junior Olympics, then a a person-thirty day period continue to be in Tulsa with United states of america volleyball.

Amid all the Concentrate on operates in Oklahoma and lodge-area hangouts, Stafford took dwelling another trophy — a gold medal.

“That variety of enjoy matures persons,” Le claimed.

Still for all Stafford’s accolades, all her expertise, all her hearth and working experience — will it be more than enough?

Marymount has a number of robust returners in support: Dior Charles patrolling the center, Lauren Brooker discovering her very own Belardi-adjacent rhythm at setter, breakout candidate Alexa Trapani at libero. When Southern Segment thrust will come to shove, the destiny of the Sailors rests squarely on Stafford’s shoulders.

“Last yr, she experienced great game titles … this 12 months, she’ll need to have to have excellent games,” Klein reported.

Stafford is the chief. All people, from Klein to Le to Trapani, acknowledged it. She’ll be the one particular placing the tempo, the a single telling her teammates it is like this all year. It’ll be a test to her concentration, Klein explained — but Stafford does not feel any stress in that. She just needs to make guaranteed each Sailor has the exact mentality on the route to finding a new crew identity.

Could she be Alright with basically losing a activity this calendar year?

“I guess,” Stafford stated. “But I’m hoping that doesn’t transpire.”

Rounding out the rest of The Times’ best 10 girls’ volleyball plans:

2: Mater Dei

The Monarchs pretty much have to be rated in the major five every single calendar year by default. A strong junior class, headlined by outside hitters Babi Gubbins and Isabel Clark, tends to make this Monarchs workforce particularly potent. Continue to keep an eye on a breakout from junior opposite hitter Cymarah Gordon, who held her personal in the Open up Division finals in opposition to Marymount previous time.

3: Manhattan Seashore Mira Costa

The only other participant Southern Section coaches talked about as a lot as Stafford was Mustangs junior setter Charlie Fuerbringer. Fully commited to Wisconsin as a sophomore, she’s the figurehead of a dynamic offense that relies on Northwestern dedicate Drew Wright as a finisher. If Mira Costa is clicking on all cylinders, they could dismantle any one.

4: Redondo Union

After a down 12 months, the Sea Hawks looked primed to struggle for a title. They return 5 starters and include some intriguing expertise in 6-4 softball and basketball star Ella Zimmerman. In addition, senior Mele Corral-Blagojevich, the heart of the group, may well have the most difficult strike of anybody in the Southern Section.

5: Huntington Beach

On the lookout for a sleeper? The Oilers went 28-7 final calendar year with a team of generally freshmen and sophomores, and all signs are pointing up with an impressive acquire at an Oxnard summer tournament. Most on the team have played beach in excess of spring and summer season, which has aided their motion and ball command, reported mentor Craig Pazanti.

6: Vista Murrieta

Coach Ed Taitano’s team isn’t on some schools’ radar simply because of its area, but the Broncos ended up a best-rated workforce in the section last 12 months. Senior Claire Small can match up with any one — she’s been dedicated to BYU because eighth quality, and O’Dell predicted she’d be the best participant in the Southern Area arrive fall.

7: Chatsworth Sierra Canyon

Senior outside hitter Olivia Babcock is a leading talent and Cornell dedicate Jada Cione, transferring again to Sierra Canyon following a calendar year in Texas, provides a new dimension — but depth may possibly be an problem.

8: Studio Town Harvard-Westlake

The Wolverines activity a dynamic duo of Ava-Marie Lange and Grace Thrower, and can contend with the greatest from the exterior, but scoring factors from the middle will be “difficult,” Morgan claimed due to the fact they’re down a few key seniors from last 12 months.

9: Lakewood

Coaches consistently get detect of the Lancers, who defeat Huntington Seaside final season and took two sets from Mater Dei.

10: Palos Verdes

Kaci Demaria averaged three kills a established past calendar year as a freshman, and is poised to direct the Sea Kings for decades to arrive. Junior Kendall Beshear appears to be in line for a breakout, stepping into the graduated Suzy Jellison’s place on the outdoors.