Sustained success is never simple.
It requires culture, a little luck and the hope that the next group of middle schoolers is ready to carry it on.
Ripon Christian boys volleyball has found that formula, and from the outside, it continues to make it look easy.
That was the case again Friday.
In the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Division III quarterfinals, No. 2 Ripon Christian swept No. 7 McNair 25-12, 25-20, 25-18 at home May 1 to advance.
“I thought we started really well,” coach Kevin Tameling said. “That was big early. There were nerves on both sides — it’s a playoff match, and one loss means your season is over. That’s a big deal. A strong start really set us on a good path.”
Ripon Christian is back in the section semifinals for the second straight year and will face No. 3 Lathrop at home Wednesday, May 6.
After winning the title last year and in 2022 and 2023, the Knights will look to make it four championships in five years.
“If we win a section title, that’s great,” Kevin said. “We’d be excited about that. But we want to come out on the floor, bring joy, love the game, display good sportsmanship and play the right way. Results will follow if we do.”
And more often than not, they have. Ripon Christian has not lost a league match since the program was reestablished in 2018.
“We’ve got a lot of multi-sport athletes on this team,” Kevin said. “Guys who’ve played in section championships in football and basketball and competed in the playoffs in soccer. They come in not afraid of the stage.”
Ripon Christian set the tone early, building an 18-4 lead in the opening set behind five kills from senior Mason Tameling. He finished with 13 kills, three assists, three aces and five digs.
“That was the kind of first set we wanted,” Mason said. “Grant Wentworth went on a huge serving run. The second set, we had a little hiccup, got stuck in serve receive and missed some serves, but we took care of business, and that’s what matters.”
Down 12-6 in the second, Ripon Christian flipped the set with eight straight points.
Mason had two kills, Darren Van Groningen added one, and Trevor Van Groningen fired off two aces.
McNair grabbed a three-point lead later, but Ripon Christian took it right back. Mason put down two more kills, Trevor followed with another, and Darren came up with a block assist to help finish it.
Trevor finished with 10 kills, two block assists and four digs, while Darren had six kills, three block assists, five digs and an ace.
“We just got a little relaxed,” Kevin said. “That’s okay, but I think we lost our focus. You can play relaxed and still be focused, but once you lose that focus, it’s not good. We found it again late and carried it into the third.”
Tied 6-6 early in the third, Ripon Christian broke it open with a 14-6 run and never looked back.
“We’ve been here before,” Mason said. “We know what it’s going to take. We know we can’t take it for granted that we’re here.”
‘Leads by example’
Growing up, Mason had always watched the sport.
Kevin, his father, had coached at Ripon Christian since 2018, and even played in college at Trinity Chrisitian College, an NAIA in Illinois.
“He knows a lot about the game,” Mason said. “I look up to him for that.”
There was just one issue.
Baseball and volleyball shared the same season, and with basketball and football already on his plate, doing both wasn’t an option.
So he chose baseball — until eighth grade.
“COVID hit, and baseball wasn’t happening,” Kevin said. “He was able to get in the gym and pick up a volleyball every once in a while, and that’s where his love for the game grew.”
Still, he remained a multi-sport athlete in high school, playing both basketball and football on varsity all four years.
He finished his football career with 4,570 passing yards, 57 touchdowns and 15 rushing touchdowns, and added 739 career points in basketball.
“It’s his work ethic,” Kevin said. “The effort he brings every day — when your best player is the hardest worker, it lifts everyone else and shows them how to play. He leads by example.”
Months after starting at quarterback in a section championship game, Mason’s future was set — and it’s wasn’t on the football field.
Mason committed to The Master’s University, whose men’s team was ranked No. 1 in the NAIA Top 15 poll in 2023.
“It’s a sport where you can make a mistake and there’s another play right after,” Mason said. “There are so many points, so many opportunities.”
The numbers reflect that.
Through his four-year career, Mason has totaled 1,334 kills, 290 aces, 91 blocks, 699 digs and 105 assists. This season alone, he has 409 kills, 85 aces, 29 blocks, 229 digs and 25 assists.
And counting.
“I’m really excited to continue playing in college,” Mason said. “But right now, my focus is on winning a section championship.”
This article originally appeared on The Record: Father-son duo leads Ripon Christian past McNair in CIF SJS quarterfinals
Reporting by Dylan Ackermann, The Stockton Record / The Record
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
