Guard Named All-CIF!

GIRLS’ VOLLEYBALL: Bell-Jeff’s Cervantes, just a sophomore, is lone local recipient to earn award.
Jocelyn Cervantes isn’t the type of team leader who will yell and scream to motivate her teammates.

Instead, the girls’ volleyball player from Bellarmine-Jefferson High uses her actions on the court to help inspire and lead the Guards.

Bell-Jeff relied a great deal on the sophomore outside hitter for her leadership, as well as her play on the court, this past season, as she helped guide her team to a record-breaking campaign.

Her talents have paid off, as she has been named as an All-CIF Southern Section first-team selection in Division IV.

Cervantes is the only area player to receive the honor this season.

“Jocelyn is kind of a silent leader for us,” Bell-Jeff Coach Miguel Segura said. “She definitely lets her actions do a lot of the talking for her.”

In just her second season in high school, Segura said Cervantes has developed into an accomplished player.

“She is just such a hard worker, and that’s why she has been able to be so successful,” Segura said. “She definitely deserves this. She meant a great deal to our team this season.

“And just think; she has two more years with us.”

Behind Cervantes, Bell-Jeff put together a fine season.

The Guards (19-9) advanced to the program’s first-ever CIF Southern Section championship. Unfortunately, they fell in the Division IVA title match to No. 1-seeded Upland Christian Academy, 25-22, 25-23, 25-23.

Prior to the final, the Guards breezed through the postseason, surrendering just one game. Along with early sweeps against Duarte and Santa Clara, they only had to go to four games to beat Twentynine Palms in the quarterfinals and earned a sweep against Desert Hot Springs in the semifinals.

Bell-Jeff came into the playoffs after winning its fourth straight Santa Cruz League championship.

There was no doubt who the Guards looked upon to lead the team. Cervantes came up big time and time again for Bell-Jeff, as she earned first-team all-league honors.

Cervantes had 255 kills and a .460 hitting percentage, 65 aces, 116 digs and 232 assists.

“She was just very hard to stop,” Segura said. “She gave a lot of teams fits. She was just a big-time player for us.”

Jeff Tully