PARK RIDGE -- The Owls celebrated Senior Night with a 2-0 win over rival Emerson to earn their fourth win of the week on Tuesday night.
“We went 4-0 this week, we’re 6-0 in our league and 8-2 [overall],” said senior libero Izzy Yarenis, who scooped 15 digs and tallied 9 service points, including 6 aces in the match. “We’re on a high right now and other teams are coming for us. The score today shows how much we really want it. Coming into warmups, coming into senior night as a whole we wanted it and we got there.”
“We’re definitely on a high as a team,” added senior middle blocker Mia Izzo, who pounded 14 kills and blocked one shot, to go along with her 12 service points (6 aces) and 5 digs. “Everybody has been contributing so much to the game. We have a young team and we’re all involved so much as players. I’m happy to see the girls doing their best and becoming better every day.”
Before the match began there were the usual streamers, balloons and speeches that are part of the tradition of Senior Night.
“When [junior setter] Ella [McDermott] was giving my speech I was fully in tears,” said Izzo. “It’s still early in the season and I have so much ahead of me but the thought that it’s coming to an end … I’ve been here so long it is definitely heartbreaking to think about but I’m so grateful for all Park Ridge has done for me - this volleyball team, the coaches - they’ve all been so great to me. My teammates are something I’ll never forget.”
“I came into today saying I’m not going to cry, I’m going to have a good day, win a game and go home,” Yarenis said. “[That lasted] maybe 10 minutes after I walked in. It’s a crazy moment being in this program for so long, being with Coach [Bill] Allen, who is an amazing coach and amazing mentor. He was my second and sixth grade teacher. And having all these connections with Mia - we’ve been playing together since fourth grade - it’s really sad to leave. I will hopefully be playing at college but nothing will ever be the same as the Park Ridge volleyball program. It’s sad to leave - I’m not ready.”
Park Ridge, which won its first league title in 30 years last season, has picked up where they left off in the early going. There are a few reasons for their continued success.
“A lot of it is our energy,” said Izzo. “We’re a happy, upbeat team. We do have our low moments but we can come out of that and bring that contagious energy back as a team. They all pick me up. We have a good back row with Ella (McDermott - 20 assists and 3 digs in the match) doing amazing, as are all of our hitters. They’ve all been smart with what they are doing. The energy is the main key to our success so far.”
“It’s our communication and our connection on the court,” Yarenis added, “especially since a lot of us have been playing together for so long. We have that chemistry and we understand each other. We have had one practice this week and one last week. With that little time to work, we’re putting time in during the games and during warmups. We all go to school together so during the school day we all have that chemistry and those relationships outside of volleyball. It helps us and I think that’s why we are doing so well.”
That the Owls’ 8th win of the season came against their rival made the night even more special.
“We’ve always had that rivalry,” said Yarenis, “especially since in some sports we’re combined and some we’re playing against each other. In the four years that I’ve been on varsity it was ‘Emerson, Emerson, Emerson - we have to beat them’ - in the first two years. Last year we played them for our senior night and we beat them. And this year they came back for our senior night. It’s always been that rivalry.”
“Last fall the seniors picked this game for our Senior Night,” said Izzo. “Emerson is a great rival for us; we’ve always had great competition and we wanted this game to be a good one for us and we did great. That rivalry is still going. We always have stuff with Emerson but we definitely picked this game for a reason.”
Park Ridge has something else to celebrate this week, as Izzo was named Athlete of the Week by The Record.
“I’m so honored,” she said. “I have so many people to thank. It’s not just an award for me; everyone has contributed to this - the coaches, the team. Even though it’s my name up there it’s not just about me. I’m grateful for everyone on this team.”
As good as the season has gone for the Owls, tough non-league games, the second half of the league schedule and the Bergen County Tournament are on the horizon before the state tournament.
“I think the girls have worked themselves into some good play,” said Allen. “We’ve won a few games in a row and that feels good. But we know that there are no easy games ever. Our league is so competitive and we feel any team can win any night we show up. We have to stay sharp because we have some really tough games coming up this week - Secaucus, Bogota, Ramsey. So that’s going to challenge us and we’re going to have to level our game up to be competitive in those games. I think the girls, especially the seniors, are excited for that challenge. They are definitely not people who back down from anything. I think they are motivated to come into practice tomorrow and prepare for that stretch of games.”
After the match Allen reflected on Senior Night and what it meant for the future of the program.
“There are mixed emotions,” he said. “They are all preparing to do something unique and exciting when they leave Park Ridge High School. At the same time they are trying to live in the moment with their teammates, have fun on the volleyball court with each other. I feel their emotions are pulled in a couple of different ways on a night like this. We kept reminding them to stay focused on the game and executing through the game. Our senior six have been a really awesome influence on our program and the girls. The girls in our program are really motivated to want to do a good job here every day we’re together.”
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