Looking Back:

This is the fifth of eight consecutive editions in which the News-Press looks back at the area’s 2008-09 seasons, school by school, before looking ahead at the year to come.

While several programs showed improvement and/or reached the postseason, 2008-09 just didn’t boast the same type of overachieving success for the area’s small schools that previous recent years did.

Renaissance Academy, arguably the most decorated boys’ basketball program in area lore after extending a series of deep playoff runs with last season’s appearance in the CIF-State title game, failed to make the playoffs this season, while trying to rebuild with a nearly all-new roster.

Likewise, the Holy Family soccer team saw a more modest streak of playoff appearances come to an end and the Gaels basketball team came just one win away from making the postseason itself.

But there were some success stories, such as the girls’ basketball and boys’ volleyball teams from Glendale Adventist Academy, which both made the playoffs, and the Holy Family volleyball team that made a third-straight playoff appearance despite dealing with a midseason coaching change.

The good, the bad, the disappointments and the triumphs are relived as they happened here:

Sept. 16, 2008 — The Glendale Adventist girls’ volleyball team wins its first match of the season, sweeping Orangewood Academy to improve to 1-1, while the Holy Family volleyball team sweeps St. Genevieve for its first win of the campaign.

Oct. 2, 2008 — Behind nine kills and two aces from Tiare Smith, the Holy Family volleyball team extends its winning streak to three with a sweep of Sacred Heart of Jesus in its Horizon League opener.

Oct. 30, 2008 — One day after the resignation of first-year Coach Michael Godoy, the Holy Family volleyball team rallies to sweep San Gabriel Mission and clinch a playoff spot behind six kills and three aces from Smith.

“It was devastating for some of us,” Holy Family senior libero Racquel Valenzuela said. “Just for us not to have a coach toward the end of the season is a big deal for us.”

Ernest Siy and David Woo stepped in for Godoy for the remainder of the season.

Nov. 6, 2008 — The Glendale Adventist girls’ volleyball team loses its league and season finale, 3-0, to San Gabriel Academy to conclude its season at 2-12, 1-11 in league.