Columnist reflects on Sarasota-area girls volleyball as playoffs near

For the first time in the 2025-26 academic year, playoffs have arrived. The FHSAA girls volleyball postseason begins with districts Oct. 13 to 17 and ends with states Nov. 3 to 8. 

It’s been an up-and-down season for the five Sarasota-area teams, who as of Oct. 6, are a combined 42-55. Four of them sit below .500, and only one ranks in the top 10 for their respective class.

Here’s how all five squads shape up during this final week of the regular season:

Cardinal Mooney (12-9, No. 10 in 3A)

File photo

Times have been tumultuous for the Cougars. Former Coach Allan Knight resigned in mid-September after just one year and two months on the job.

Now under assistant-turned-interim coach Leah Mihm, the group’s 12 wins entering Oct. 7 currently qualify as its fewest in a season since 2015. Aside from six wins in seven matches played from Sept. 4 through 23, they’ve struggled to string together victories.

A largely young team is a big reason. Cardinal Mooney features three seniors on its 15-deep roster, and only one of them — then-junior setter Layla Larrick — was a regular starter in 2024.

Junior outside hitter Charlee Hermann has been a guiding force this season with a team-high 169 kills and 30 aces.

“Charlee’s really coachable. She's open to instruction and positive affirmations,” Mihm said. “She's really stepped up into a little bit of a leadership role as well. The girls rely on her, and she’s just always there for the team.”

Also offering a bright spot in an off year for the program has been Brooke Gruhl. The sophomore setter has dictated passing with 394 assists, while no other Cougar has 100.

Cardinal Mooney — the 2019 FHSAA Class 3A state champion — will return to the postseason thanks to their strength of schedule.

Riverview (10-11, No. 21 in 7A)

Photo by Jack Nelson

There have been moments of promise for the Rams, but inconsistency has haunted them.

The team started strong with a defeat of Palm Harbor University (No. 12 in 7A) back on Aug. 19. Against Clearwater Central Catholic (No. 18 in 2A), it had game points in each of the two sets, but came up empty on both.

Coach Jason Mocherman was all in on devising a tough schedule to prepare his players for this time of year. Steady, positive results simply haven’t come.

“Consistency has just kind of been the mantra for the last couple of weeks. I keep really pushing the girls that I don't need them to perform at 110% all the time,” Mocherman said. “If we perform at 90%, we’re successful against the majority of teams we’ve played this season.”

Junior outside hitter/defensive setter Lyla Bailey continues to be a spark in both phases of the game. As of Sept. 29, she tops Riverview in digs (186), receptions (303) and kills (169).

Establishing the middle as an offensive weapon has been a struggle, but junior middle blockers Kate Grosso and Madelyn Marsters have combined for 72 blocks to lead the charge up front.

The Rams have indeed battled quality competition, and that’s all well and good, but very soon, they’ll need to defeat quality opponents every time they hit the court.

Sarasota Christian (9-12, No. 44 in 1A)

Few rosters in Class 1A were as utterly depleted as the Blazers’ entering this season.

They graduated nine seniors, which meant losing their top five hitters, top four servers and five of their top six passers. Former coach Josh Jordan also stepped down, compounding departures.

So when junior middle/outside hitter Ryan Donlin — one of Sarasota Christian’s few returning talents — missed the first six matches of the season with an injury, the team was stretched thin, eventually losing seven of its first nine contests.

Things seem to be trending positive at the right time of year, though. The Blazers won four of five matches between Sept. 25 and Oct. 4, only helping their postseason resume.

Finley Markley has been the beacon of hope under first-year coach Julio Cruz. The outside hitter/right setter/defensive setter leads the squad in kills and aces as an eighth-grader.

“Finley is a good player who's well on her way to being a great player. She has a vision on the court that only a few players have,” Cruz said. “She takes risks, at any point in the game, without any fear.”

Cruz — a three-time state champion assistant at Venice — is all about creating a new culture based around taking risks without consequence of punishment.

That process will take time, and this season has been a building block.

Sarasota (8-13, No. 54 in 7A)

Emma Thrift got a not-so-warm welcome to the head coaching ranks when the Sailors lost five matches in a row to commence her first year at the helm.

She’s likely one of the youngest sideline stewards in the state — just 23 years old — and played for Riverview on the other side of the local rivalry not so long ago.

This year has been a trying one, no doubt, as she’s tried to kick-start the program. There have been wins, but more than a fair share of humbling losses as well.

Sarasota has senior leadership offensively in the forms of right setter Julia Norman and outside hitter Braelynn Rebholz, who have produced 106 and 104 kills, respectively, as of Oct. 1. But there’s also talent primed to return. 

Junior outside hitter Liza Collier (162 kills) has paced the offense, while junior libero Mikala Moon (197 digs) has made things happen on the defensive side. 

As of Oct. 6, the Sailors are 0-3 in District 12 play.

Booker (3-10, No. 72 in 4A)

It was a true coaching carousel last offseason. Four of the five volleyball teams brought in new faces to lead their respective programs.

The Tornadoes may very well have gotten the best of the lot.

Booker welcomed in Angie Byrd, whose coaching resume spans over 20 years and includes experiences at the high school, club, NJCAA and NCAA levels. Her highest position was head coach of Division II UNC Pembroke women’s volleyball for three years.

Her newest role, though, has proved to be a much different challenge as she’s tried to resurrect a program that went 2-10 last season.

Booker has victories over Imagine School, Bayshore and Sarasota Military Academy. Losses though, have been plentiful, and eight of the 10 were sweeps.

This decade, the program has as many as nine wins in a single season — both in 2023 and 2021 — but 2025 won’t be an addition to that list.

Instead, Byrd and Co. can get a head start on preparations for the future.