"I've got more blocks than Madeleine, though she's killing me in number of kills," said middle hitter-blocker Savannah Guy, referring to her 6-foot-2-and-a-half-inch teammate and friend Madeleine Gates. "You don't know how huge that is," she said, referring to having more blocks than Gates. She could have been referring to the two's height: Guy, no slouch, stands 6'2".
Guy is a recent commit to the University of Michigan, while Gates committed to UCLA last winter/spring. They make up four members of the La Jolla volleyball team who have committed to Division I schools: the others are Chloe Luyties in sand volleyball at the University of Hawaii, and Abby Waldburger, sand volleyball at Cal.
The Vikings had just smoked poor Country Day Fri., Sept. 18, 3-0, on the Torreys' home court. So there was considerable glee, though not gloating, from the Guy-Gates pair.
Gates had a good story to tell about her father's playing days in college. Michael Gates is 6'7', and yet living in the college dorms, he was the shortest among his basketball teammates, who were 6'9", 6'11", and 6'11". Madeleine's mother played volleyball and is no shorty herself. So the younger Gates is used to height. Her brother Nathaniel, a freshman at La Jolla, is a basketball player and already about 6'4'.
Gates, maturing as a senior, has turned over a new leaf and is much more outgoing than in her shyer days as a freshman and sophomore volleyball and basketball player. "I'm rubbing off on her," said Guy, smiling.
Guy and Gates project good things for the La Jolla volleyball team this season. They said their main competition in the Western League will be Cathedral Catholic, which returns several players. This is shaping up as a fabulous LJHS-Cathedral match-up. The Vikings have a good combination of players and are playing well, having pommeled rival Bishop's only two days before the Country Day sweep.
Asked if her brother is a guard and a good ball-handler, Gates shrugged and said, "I think so."
Copyright 2015 Ed Piper
No comments:
Post a Comment