East Nicolaus junior volleyball duo seeks 3-peat in 2023
Nov. 1—East Nicolaus High is quickly becoming a girls volleyball power in Northern California.
The Spartans have won the last two Northern Section Division V championships and are closing in on a second straight Sac Valley League title in 2023 behind two of the premier juniors in the section.
Addy Tagala (setter) and Jadyn Hoffman (outside hitter) have been playing volleyball together since freshman year. As a duo, Hoffman and Tagala have been igniting a program that is 64-10 the last three seasons. Together the two have been called champions, reached individual milestones and named all-section players by Northern California prep media outlets.
And according to those most familiar with Tagala and Hoffman, the two have just scratched the surface of their potential as Spartans
"I think those girls have a tremendous opportunity ahead of them. They are members of a program that has won back-to-back section titles — the first two in school history in volleyball and could possibly win four by the time they graduate if they keep progressing," said Neil Stinson, a veteran coach at East Nicolaus and member of the athletic community for decades.
Tagala is the quarterback, distributing the ball each time East Nicolaus has it on its side of the net. She has already surpassed 1,000 career assists at 1,561 in less than two-and-a-half seasons and is helping Hoffman reach 1,000 career kills at around the same time frame. At last check before publication, Hoffman has amassed 984 kills in less than three varsity seasons. It's a feat that not many prep players reach and definitely puts both Tagala and Hoffman in select company.
According to MaxPreps.com prep sports writer Kevin Askeland, the career kills leader in the Northern Section is Jaklyn Wheeler, who collected 1,842 kills as a member of the Red Bluff High volleyball team.
Right behind Wheeler is Aubrey Bekendam of Hamilton with 1,822 kills.
The all-time assists leader is Evelyn Barajas of Hamilton with 3,316. No one else is within 700 assists of Barajas, Askeland said.
Both Tagala and Hoffman said they have more to accomplish as members of the East Nicolaus Spartans.
"My biggest goal is to head to a university or some type of college to play volleyball ... it has been my goal since I was a little girl," Hoffman said.
Tagala said it starts with her in making the team's potent attack go each and every possession.
"(Setting) is a real competitive world because setters are evolving," Tagala said. "They are getting taller, more aggressive at the net and are working so hard (so) trying to keep up with this competitive world is a lot of pressure and a lot of work."
However, Tagala would not have it any other way.
"It's one of the most rewarding positions on the court in my opinion because you get a little piece of everything," Tagala said. "You are like the control tower of the team ... You need to be in control or the team is going to crash."
With Tagala and Hoffman at the helm an unprecedented 3-peat could be in East Nicolaus' future in 2023.
But Tagala said it won't stop there as East Nicolaus has an ace in the hole in Addy Tagala's little sister, Ashlynn Tagala, who is just a freshman this year.
Addy Tagala said Ashlynn is ready right now to take over.
"She is starting to evolve way faster than I ever did," Addy Tagala said. "She is going to kill it when I graduate and she is ready to take over the team."
