DAILY NEWS ALL-AREA BOYS VOLLEYBALL 2024
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Noah Douphner, West Ranch, Junior
The West Ranch boys volleyball team sought redemption throughout the CIF Southern Section playoffs. The Wildcats took on Paraclete and Valencia — two teams that they had lost to earlier in the season — and beat them on the way to a CIF-SS Division 4 title.
Outside hitter Noah Douphner was at the center of it all. With those losses still on his mind, he used his experience from varsity and club volleyball to help get his team as prepared as possible for a CIF-SS trophy and an appearance in the CIF Southern California Regional Division III finals.
“Whether it was talking to them the night before like, ‘Hey this is your job for tomorrow, this is all you really need to focus on’ or if it was just watching hours of video and saying ‘Guys, this is what this team does as a whole,’” Douphner said. “Making sure everybody was prepared is what allowed us to go so far in the playoffs.”
Douphner brought his teammates up while showcasing his own abilities. He reached 602 kills in his junior season and added 82 aces. He now stands at 1,158 career kills.
He dedicated time to his defense, too, as he worked to improve his stock for future college offers. Douphner added 267 and 47 blocks to his stat sheet this season.
West Ranch’s Noah Douphner and Lucas Fico defend against a hit by Paraclete’s David Buckley in the CIF-SS Division 4 boys volleyball quarterfinals May 1, 2024. (Photo by Andy Holzman, Contributing Photographer)
“I think that’s where I think I improved the most and I’m really proud of it,” he said. “Defense is something I’ve always struggled with and I’m really proud that I was able to grow so much in that aspect.”
Douphner has had plenty of family support in addition to his teammates this season and beyond. His older brother won a CIF-SS championship with Hart and is now at Cal State Northridge, his mom played at Pepperdine and his dad played club and high school volleyball.
It allowed him to start playing volleyball at a young age and brought him to his own CIF-SS championship.
“It was one of a kind, what we did this season,” he said. “As much as I want to say ‘Oh, we’re returning a bunch of juniors next year we’re going to do it again,’ it’s really rare to do it again, especially in our valley. It’s really something special we were able to do this season.”
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Nate Kim, Chatsworth, Senior
Chatsworth’s Nate Kim sets the ball against Palisades Charter in the City Section Open Division boys volleyball final at Cal State Northridge May 13, 2023. (Photo by Andy Holzman, Contributing Photographer)
Kim was named the CIF Los Angeles City Section Open Division Co-Player of the Year after setting the program record in assists with 1,012. He added 201 kills, 167 digs and 73 blocks as he helped lead the Chancellors to the West Valley League title as well as the City Section Open Division championship.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Nathan Willis, Valencia, Junior
The Foothill League Player of the Year logged 321 digs as the Vikings’ defensive leader. Valencia won the Foothill League title and reached the CIF-SS Division 4 championship game. Willis filled out his stat sheet with 54 aces and 53 assists this season.
COACH OF THE YEAR
Brendan Riley, Valencia
Riley put the Vikings back on top of the Foothill League for the first time since 2014. They lost one league match in five sets to Saugus and reached the CIF-SS Division 4 championship game, where they lost to West Ranch in three sets.
ALL-AREA TEAM
Chase Dunn, Chatsworth, Jr., outside hitter
385 kills, 145 digs, All-City Section Open Division first team, West Valley League Co-Player of the Year
Nolan Higa, Newbury Park, Sr., setter/opposite
Marmonte League MVP
Zach Kochel, Thousand Oaks, So., libero
Marmonte League Libero of the Year
Joey Nelson, Royal, Sr., libero
Coastal Canyon League Libero of the Year
Brett Novak, Paraclete, Jr., setter
All CIF-SS Division 4
Jarek Pascua, Valencia, Sr., outside hitter
236 kills, 111 digs, All CIF-SS, All-Foothill League first team
Lucas Reuter, West Ranch, Sr., middle blocker
156 kills, .344 hitting %, 45 blocks, All-CIF-SS Division 4, All-Foothill League first team
Jet Ricks, Valencia, Sr., outside hitter
312 kills, All-CIF-SS Division 4, All-Foothill League first team
Titus Rodz, St. Francis, Sr., outside hitter
All-Mission League first team
Bryson Saint, Thousand Oaks, Jr., middle blocker
225 kills, .329 hitting%, 104 blocks, All-Marmonte League first team
Logan Sanchez, West Ranch, Jr., outside hitter
240 kills, 152 digs, All-CIF-SS, All-Foothill League first team
Nick Songco, Oak Park, Sr., outside hitter
Coastal Canyon League MVP
Related Articles
Taylor Dockins, softball pitcher who excelled and inspired while battling liver cancer, dies at 25
Daily News All-Area Girls Track: Canyon’s Mikaela Warr is athlete of the year
All-CIF Southern Section boys lacrosse teams and award winners
All-CIF Southern Section girls lacrosse teams and award winners
All-CIF Southern Section boys volleyball teams and award winners
