The 2008 Mandeville High School Varsity Jamboree was held Aug. 28, just before Hurricane Gustav made its nasty approach to St. Tammany Parish.

Northshore High School normally hosts the popular annual kickoff event, but due to facility renovations the Lady Panthers were unable to put on the jamboree this year.

Mandeville second-year head coach Christy Sanantonio stepped up, offering to host the one-day event, which featured 12 local teams.

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There were three waves comprised of four teams each with each team playing three games. Each game was played to 25 with a cap at 25.

Sanantonio said it was a very successful event with things going off pretty smooth.

“We were honored to be able to host the jamboree in lieu of Northshore’s renovations,” Sanantonio said. “We could not have put this on without the help of numerous parent volunteers. I’m very thankful for their wonderful support. Our players also did a great job, helping out when they weren’t on the court.”

“I feel the fans were treated to some excellent competition. Lots of the players are close friends with each other off the court, but when they step between the two lines, it’s a different story. It’s friendly competition, but everyone has those competitive genes and doesn’t like to lose,” Sanantonio added.

Northlake Christian School’s Lady Wolverines, the defending Division V state champions, won Wave One, going 3-0. NCS topped Northshore, 25-12. Junior setter Hannah Miranda sparked NCS with 13 assists and had a team high 11 kills. Junior Brittany Scearce chipped in with five kills, two blocks and two aces. Senior Mallory Horridge and junior Monica Raymond notched three kills each. Emily Miller added two aces.

NCS downed St. Scholastica Academy, 25-17. Miranda posted 14 assists with Raymond knocking down six kills along with two aces.

The Lady Wolverines finished out the jamboree, topping the host Mandeville Lady Skippers, 25-17. Miranda dished off 17 assists. Raymond topped the Lady Wolverines with seven kills, followed by Horridge with five and Scearce who contributed four.

NCS assistant coach Jimmy Miranda said the Lady Wolverines looked pretty good.

“Our players settled in and were consistent. Our hitters were able to take advantage of some strong passing to finish off kill attempts,” Miranda said.

The host Mandeville Lady Skippers finished 2-1 in Wave One. MHS downed St. Scholastica Academy, 25-18, on four kills by freshman Katie Lindelow. Sophomore Delaney Pittari had six assists with senior Kana Koenig pulling up six digs. Senior Elizabeth Rinaudo had two aces.

Mandeville topped Northshore, 25-19, in game two on Lindelow’s five kills. Rinaudo had seven assists, and Koenig had four digs. The Lady Skippers lost their only game to NCS by eight points (25-17). Rinaudo had seven assists and one ace, while Lindelow posted five kills. Koenig topped the defense with seven digs.

Northshore finished with a 1-2 record in Wave One jamboree play, falling to NCS, 25-12, and MHS, 25-19. The Lady Panthers got things together, knocking off SSA, 25-24, in their final game.

SSA, playing without three seniors, Chelsea Champagne, Sam Delahoussaye and Shelby Fritscher, who were taking part in a ring mass, went 0-3. SSA lost its opener, 25-19, to MHS.

Megan Clark had two assists and one kill. Monique Giarrusso and Gabby Braud had two digs each, while Christina Wurm posted two blocks.

In a 25-17 loss to NCS, Clark delivered 10 assists, while Audrey Gitz netted four kills.

SSA fell to Northshore, 25-24, in its final game. Clark totaled 13 assists. Camille Walther came up with four kills, four digs, one block and one ace to pace the Doves. Girarrusso added four digs and an ace.

SSA coach Danny Davis said playing without his three seniors gave his club a different look.

“Some of our players were in brand new positions, which allowed them the opportunity to gain valuable experience,” Davis said.

Slidell’s Lady Tigers captured Wave Two, going 3-0. SHS opened with a 25-16 victory over Ponchatoula. Senior Kaitlyn Crippin delivered four assists and two kills. Junior Courtney Courtney added two assists with an ace. Senior Allison Dolan led the way with four kills. She also had an ace. Hannah Gambrell contributed two kills and had a block.

The Lady Tigers downed the Archbishop Hannan Lady Hawks, 25-18. Crippin notched five kills and two assists. Courtney, Dolan and Gambrell chipped in with three kills each. Courtney and Cameron Lowe served two aces each. Slidell closed out, taking a 25-7 win over the Salmen Lady Spartans. Gambrell spanked four kills and Crippin had three. Crippin, Dolan and Lowe were credited with two aces each.

Slidell coach Nancy Plaisance said she saw some good things from her team.

“We won, but I didn’t think any of them were great wins,” Plaisance said. “I just don’t see us playing smoothly yet. Everybody is still kind of playing individually, not playing as a team yet. We have to start working harder as a team.”

Plaisance said her team is lacking consistency.

“I just want to see us more consistent. One time we will hit a great ball; the next time we’ll hit it in the net. Sometimes we’ll make a nice pass, then we’ll shank one off the arm,” Plaisance added.

Plaisance said at this point, she doesn’t have a true setter.

Salmen finished with a 1-2 mark in Wave Two. The Lady Spartans lost to Ponchatoula, 25-15. Salmen then fell to Slidell, 25-7. Kristan Campbell had two kills, and Monique Pack had one.

Salmen picked up its victory by trimming Archbishop Hannan’s Lady Hawks, 25-23. Campbell recorded four kills, three aces and one block. Pack was credited with four assists.

Hannan went 0-3, losing its opener to Slidell, 25-18. Senior Katie Bailey turned in two kills, one block and one ace for the Lady Hawks. Kim Kirsch contributed three assists.

Hannan lost to Ponchatoula, 25-11. Kirsch had two assists with Bailey and Natalie Powell each knocking down a kill. Powell and Julie Betz added one service ace each.

Hannan came up short in its final game, falling to Salmen, 25-23. Emily Lee and Powell had two kills each.

Kirsch had three assists, while Bailey added two assists along with an ace.

The Mandeville High School Silver squad took Wave Three, posting a 3-0 mark. MHS Silver downed Hammond, 25-11.

Madeline Baker turned in five kills, with Kristen Nelson recording five service aces.

Summer Burglass had seven assists, while Megan Mayeux chipped in with four digs.

MHS Silver edged the Pearl River Lady Rebels, 25-24, behind Sara Joyner’s five kills and three digs. Burglass added eight assists and three aces.

MHS Silver polished off its clean slate by topping the Pope John Paul II Lady Jaguars, 25-22.

Burglass recorded six assists, setting up Baker, who netted four kills. Mayeux topped the defense with seven digs.

Pearl River finished with a 2-1 record in Wave Three. The Lady Rebels defeated Hammond, 25-11.

Senior Caitlyn Harper produced three kills with one block, while junior Carly Jordan handed off five assists. Senior Kim Treese picked up four digs, and Whitney Harris scorched three aces.

PRHS topped PJP II, 25-20, behind Gabby Jeansonne’s three kills and two aces. Jordan came up with three assists and served two aces. Harris had three digs.

The Lady Rebels suffered their only defeat at the hands of MHS Silver, 25-24. Jeansonne produced two kills, two blocks and two assists. Katie Wallace chipped in with two kills and two assists. Treese delivered four digs, while Harris and Jordan served aces.

Pope John Paul II finished at 1-2. The Lady Jags opened with a 25-20 victory over Hammond. Paige Bourguard paced the victory with seven aces. She also recorded two assists. Shelly Pontiff notched two kills and two assists. Defensively, Brandy Monnin added four digs.

PJP was defeated by Pearl River, 25-20. Pontiff was credited with five assists and three kills. Monnin had eight digs, while Ashley Lang had three kills.

Christa Roschigno and Carmen Wingerter had one ace each.