MAPLEWOOD/SOUTH ORANGE, NJ — Even though one might call it bittersweet, the 2024 season for the Columbia High School girls volleyball program was more sweet than bitter.
The freshman team, coached by David Crouch, completed a perfect season, going 16-0 in regular-season matches, and won the West Essex Freshman Tournament by beating the host team in the final.
The junior varsity Cougars finished with a winning record, 13-4, under the guidance of CHS alumni, former volleyball team captain and setter Grace Petroccia, who captained and played under varsity head coach Juan Bas from 2015-2019 and is currently ranked second in CHS’ all-time assists during the Super Essex Conference era.
Although not taking home any silverware this season, the CHS varsity team had one of its most successful in recent years. With 11 seniors, all of whom were part of the 2021 freshman team that also went undefeated and won the Payne Tech JV Tournament that season, the team showed the skill, poise and court sense that elite players develop. With many of the core players either having committed to playing college volleyball or being scouted, this season’s team may be one of the strongest CHS has produced in several seasons.
“I’ve had some really talented players and winning teams in the past, but, collectively, this season’s team ranks up there,” Bas said about his team. “It’s a different game than when I started at CHS in 2003. All of these ladies have been playing club ball since before they came to Columbia. That wasn’t the case 20 years ago.”
Ending the season with a 15-9 record that included a six-game winning streak in September; double-league wins over Nutley, West Orange and Caldwell; a win over Montclair Kimberley Academy, which is in the American Division, above the Liberty Division that Columbia is in; and quarterfinal finishes in each of the three Saturday tournaments the team entered (Bloomfield, Millburn, Livingston), Columbia finished second in the SEC–Liberty Division for the second time in three seasons.
The club was awarded the sixth seed in the Essex County Tournament, which allowed them to avoid having to go through any play-in matches. They defeated American Division foes Newark Academy in the first round and reached the quarterfinals for the first time. Unfortunately, CHS bowed out to Livingston (also in the American Division). In the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association’s North Jersey, Section 2, Group 4 state tournament, CHS defeated Plainfield in the first round. From there, in the quarterfinals, the Cougars went to Watchung Hills, which had knocked Columbia out of the state tournament in the same round the previous three seasons. This year was different. After dropping a tightly-contested first set, 25-22, Columbia fought back to win the next two, 25-21, 26-24 and advance to the sectional semifinal.
Of the win over Watchung Hills, Bas said, “I’m immensely proud of my team. On paper, we were supposed to lose the match, but volleyball games aren’t played on paper. I told them we have nothing to lose and to just go for it.” Although CHS was without its regular floor captain, Corynna Manjos, seniors Sinikka Reynolds-Vickberg (outside hitter), Libby Kosik (libero), and Lucy Hummel (setter) drove the team forward. Reynolds-Vickberg ended the match with 14 kills and Hummel had 20 assists. Kosik, who contributed with 12 digs, controlled the back- row defense and helped inspire the team to victory. Early last season, Bas moved Kosik into the libero position over an established senior.
“Libby is an outstanding volleyball player,” Bas said. “Moving her into the libero position full-time is one of the best coaching decisions I’ve made and she’s reassured my faith in her time, and time again. The way she played against Watchung Hills is one of her best performances of the season, maybe her entire CHS career. She reads the ball so well and gets the ball up for her setter. Future liberos here at Columbia have a very high bar to reach.”
After their quarterfinal win over Watchung Hills, Columbia went to Union City, a team they beat in 2023, but lost to in 2022. Coached by CHS alum Naveed Khawaja, who was one of Bas’s assistants in 2012, Union City edged Columbia, 25-22, 25-20 to end the Cougars’ season. Of the season’s end, Bas said, “Every single one of them left it on the floor. Two very good teams battled for a place in the final. It wasn’t for us today, but the team gave it their all and made Union City earn it.”
At the start of the season, Bas set out winning the Liberty Division and finishing deeper in the ECT and state tournaments as goals. “We didn’t achieve all of our goals, but two out of three is still something to be proud of and lays the foundation for next season,” he said.
Individually, some players achieved personal milestones. Jordan Magid, a junior middle blocker, surpassed 100 career kills against Watchung Hills. Hummel, who played in only four varsity matches last season as cover for two established setters, tallied 385 assists this season to reach 410 career assists, which puts her No. 4 all-time for Columbia since the start of the SEC in 2009. Reynolds-Vickberg notched 154 kills this season to become Columbia’s No. 2 all-time SEC-era hitter.
Maddy Casto, a senior middle blocker, accumulated 40 blocks this season to bring her to 183 career blocks and No. 1 in Columbia’s all-time tally, surpassing the 173 record achieved by Jasmine Keegan in 2015. Casto also ended her CHS volleyball career with 205 kills, eighth all-time.
“Maddy Casto’s all-time blocking achievement is exceptional, considering how dominant a player Jasmine Keegan was and how Maddy achieved her goal in the Liberty Division and Jasmine did it in the Colonial,” Bas said. “It shows how important a player Maddy will be for SUNY-New Palz next season.”
Other notable achievements are top-10 career finishes for Magid (10th in blocks with 65), Kosik (fifth in digs with 403 and fourth in aces with 117), Reynolds-Vickberg (third in aces with 119), and Manjos (seventh in kills with 214). Reynolds-Vickber and Manjos “are two of the most natural volleyball players and hitters I’ve coached,” Bas said.
Bas also is especially proud of Reynolds-Vickberg being in second place all-time in CHS kills because “this is something she and I had talked about and set goals for.”
The 2024 CHS varsity team is as follows:
- Franny Behaylo (senior, outside hitter, opposite)
- Maddy Casto (senior, captain, middle blocker)
- Azra Dedovic (sophomore, OH, Opp)
- Malia Doyle (senior, defensive specialist)
- Dani Ehrlich (junior, setter)
- Livia Ferguson (junior, DS/libero)
- Arielle Franklin (senior, DS, Opp)
- Lucy Hummel (senior, S)
- Maddie Kaplan (senior, OH, Opp)
- Neve Koonyevsky (senior, S)
- Libby Kosik (senior, captain, L)
- Ava Lee (senior, DS/L)
- Jordan Magid (junior, MB, OH)
- Corynna Manjos (senior, captain, OH, Opp)
- Maddie McKinstrie (junior, MB, OH, Opp)
- Sinikka Reynolds-Vickberg (senior, OH)
- Lily Yazdan (junior, S)
Photos Courtesy of Danielle Franklin and Aidan Heindl
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