Sonora’s state champion volleyball team honored with Crystal Creamery carton

If members of Sonora High’s state championship volleyball team ever make the cover of a Wheaties box for their athletic achievements, they’ll be ready.

After all, they just received the milk to go along with any cereal.

Sonora High was feted Friday by Modesto-based Crystal Creamery with a commemorative milk carton honoring their championship season. The special cartons, which feature the school’s logo and offer congratulations to the Sac-Joaquin Section, Northern California and state Division IV champs, will be sold throughout the region at stores including PriceCo Foods, Nugget Market, O’Brien’s Market and Walmart.

“We’ve received a lot of recognition for our state championship,” said senior libero Bailey Henington, the Mother Lode League MVP who recently was named the state’s Division IV Player of the Year by MaxPreps. “It’s never going to go away. It’s amazing.”

After falling in the 2013 Northern California final, the Wildcats made it a goal to take the 2014 season a step further.

Two steps, actually – to win the NorCal title and then capture the state crown.

“When our coach (Kim Evans) asked what our goal was for this year, there was no hesitation,” said senior defensive specialist Leah Dambacher. “Ever since last year, it seemed like everybody in town was asking, ‘You’re going to state this year, right?’ For a while we felt a little pressure, but we knew it was something we could do. So we just went out there and played like we could.”

The season culminated with the title match against Alta Loma at Santiago Canyon College in Orange, where Sonora (37-5) nearly allowed a 2-0 lead to slip away before winning in five, 25-19, 25-19, 17-25, 22-25, 15-8.

“There were so many things that we needed to overcome this year,” said senior outside hitter Shannon Friend, winner of the MLL’s Most Outstanding Player award. “Our coaches would tell us during practices, ‘You’re the ones who wanted to win state; we’re going to help you but you need to do what it takes.’ ”

According to Crystal Creamery spokesman John Segale, section titlists typically are honored on milk cartons, with up to three teams per carton. Unless, of course, one of those section champs goes on to win a state title.

“We’re also honoring Pitman and Turlock Christian and they will share a carton,” said Segale. “Sonora has earned its own carton with its state championship.”

Indeed, Pitman shares a carton with fellow section champs Rocklin (Division II) and El Camino (D-3) while Turlock Christian (D-VI) shares its carton with Vacaville Christian (DV).

Pitman (44-2) went on to win the Division I Northern Calfironia title before falling in the state final 25-23, 25-18, 25-21 to Redondo Union. Turlock Christian (21-18) defeated Stone Ridge Christian 25-21, 25-16, 19-25, 26-24 for the section’s D-VI title before falling in the NorCal semis.

This is the third season that Crystal Creamery has honored teams with special-edition cartons. Central Catholic’s football team, winner of three straight CIF Division IV state football championships, is due to be honored for a third time in a few weeks. Modesto Christian’s girls basketball team, the reigning state D-III champs, were singled out last year.

“We see this as a great vehicle to recognize the hard work of players and coaches and families as well,” said Segale. “It just gives the athletes a little fun and excitement, until they make the Wheaties box … and what goes better with cereal than milk?”

This story was originally published January 23, 2015 at 4:38 PM with the headline "Sonora’s state champion volleyball team honored with Crystal Creamery carton."