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Knights Get Another Banner Victory

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By EDDIE DANIELS, The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 27, 2007

NEW PORT RICHEY - High up on the wall inside the gym at the Jim Valentine Athletic Complex, it's very apparent the River Ridge volleyball team has started a dynasty, and it continues to cultivate it.

The purple banner reads: 1995, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006.

Those years represent district championships. And after Thursday night's 19-25, 25-8, 28-26, 25-23 victory against Land O' Lakes in the Class 5A-District 7 championship match, 2007 can be added to that register of dates.

'It feels great,' River Ridge junior Alex Laton said. 'It's the second year in a row I've been on the team that we've won the district. It's like we're the powerhouse of the county and we just show everybody that by winning, so it feels good.'

River Ridge (22-5) will host Armwood on Tuesday night at 7 in the regional quarterfinals.

Thursday's win was far from easy. After dropping Game 1 to the Gators 25-19, River Ridge asserted its dominance with an overpowering victory in Game 2.

'First game, I told them they weren't here for some reason, they thought the game started at 7, I believe,' River Ridge coach Heidi Castelamare said. 'From 6:30 to 7, they just were not focused at all. Second game, I welcomed them back to playing River Ridge volleyball.'

Castelamare may have welcomed her team back, but Land O'Lakes (17-10) was far from giving up.

In Game 3, the Gators erased an 18-10 deficit to knot the match at 20, and at one time had game point before losing.

Game 4 was the most competitive game of the night, as neither team could build a lead of more than three points. When one team appeared ready to make a run, the other would catch up. The game was tied 10 times before River Ridge took the advantage for good.

Land O' Lakes will travel to Brandon on Tuesday night for its regional quarterfinal match, its first postseason appearance since 1992.

'Quite frankly, I'm just happy we're going on to regionals,' Land O' Lakes coach Michelle Griffin said. 'I'm completely happy with my team right now. They played a great game, and I couldn't have asked for anything more.'

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