Under the bright lights of the Bishop’s Gym, the Bishop’s Boys Volleyball turned Senior Night into a strong demonstration of their control and momentum from the first serve. The team delivered a straight three-set sweep against Classical Academy on Thursday night, April 30, celebrating the seniors at the center of one of the best seasons in program history.
The Knights won in three straight sets, staying undefeated in their league. The team has only lost three times to teams outside of San Diego this season and currently sits as one of the top-ranked teams in the country according to the National Boys Volleyball (Spring 2026) Rankings.
Alongside their strong season, the program turned its attention to the seniors and the community created within the team.
Head Coach Chris Shaffer reflected on what made the team so special. “This group of seniors especially has created such a good community,” he explained, “It goes from varsity to JV to the middle school program.”
Senior Co-Captain Giles Beamer, who has held that position since his sophomore year, said the chemistry this season has been stronger than any other year he has played. When talking about the other guys on the team, Giles stated, “We, as a team, had known each other and played club together for a while… I think we’ve been super close — closer than any of the other years that I’ve been playing.”
That familiarity amongst teammates
(Alice Wang)
was something that Coach Chris believed had been a major factor in the team’s success all season. “I’ve coached nine of the guys on my club team at some point over the last three years,” he added, “When you have a group of guys that are already comfortable with each other it really helps with the chemistry aspects.”
That chemistry showed throughout the match. After nearly every point, the Knights huddled together at the center while the bench stayed loud and energetic the entire time.
The Knights came out strong in the first set with powerful attacks from Giles and Will Denning (‘27), and sets from Bex Keller-Carroll (‘29), including back-to-back sets to the pipe that helped extend the Knights’ lead.
The Knights also exhibited strong defensive efforts early in the game. Great serves and digs from Ryan Guerrero (‘28) helped keep Classical Academy out of rhythm, while long rallies forced both teams to battle for points. Bishop’s controlled the first set and took it 25-18, setting the tone for the rest of the night.
Bex explained how the team’s connection across all grade levels has had a major impact during the season. “It’s a unique environment that we have all four years on our team,” he stated. “You build such close relationships with people who are older and younger than you, and it all culminates in such a vibrant culture.”
The second set featured several long rallies and strong defensive plays from both teams. Early in the set, Bishop narrowly lost a long rally after multiple consistent swings from both sides. The Knights quickly responded, with Ryan making a diving save that kept the ball up before Giles finished the point with a powerful kill to restore Bishop’s momentum.
The Knights’ blocking became a major factor later in the set, with solid blocks from Giles and Will, along with another point when Co-Captain Logan Yockey (‘27) delivered a mighty overpass kill that brought energy to both the bench and crowd. Bishop’s held off Classical Academy and took the second set 25-18, as their momentum built for the third set.
Logan described how he tries to always bring excitement and positivity to the team as captain. “Every time I go on the court, I try to just walk on with a smile on my face.”
He also emphasized how meaningful senior night was for every senior in the program, including players who may not always get major playing time during matches. “I think senior night was able to let everyone just get in on the action.”
As the match continued, several seniors from the JV team rotated into the game, leading to some of the loudest cheers of the night. Those moments reflected “the importance of being a teammate,” as Giles highlighted. “It’s a game of errors,” he explained, “It’s more so how you bounce back from it and support each other.”
Giles also pointed out the moments that made Senior Night meaningful for the entire program, especially for players who don’t usually play in varsity matches. He noted that several seniors chose to stay involved with the team in different ways, even if they were new to the sport or primarily played at the JV level.
He specifically mentioned Adrian Cervantes (‘26), who normally plays basketball but decided to try volleyball in his final year to be part of the experience, and Ashton Bishop (‘26), who has been on JV for multiple seasons but still earned time on the court. “Adrian, he was like, ‘Hey, why not try volleyball? It’s my last year here,’ and he was able to get onto the court and have some fun and play,” Giles remarked, “And then Ashton was still able to get the start here and get some good plays.”
The final set continued the Knights’ dominant performance. Logan opened the set with another decisive overpass kill, while Will went on a serving run that extended their league. Jayden Zou (‘26) added a key spike midway through the set, and Will later recorded a strong block at the net. The Knights closed the set 25-16 in one clean sweep when Classical Academy’s final attack swung out of bounds, and the players rushed together in celebration.
For many families, the night meant more than just another victory. Giles and David Beamer’s (‘28) mother and Chair of the Mathematics Department, Mrs. Catherine Beamer, reflected on watching her sons grow through the program.
“It’s been wonderful to see how much of a passion it’s become,” she said. “And that experience is really special.”
She also remembered watching her two sons play together last season as one of her favorite memories. “David was the setter all of last year, and to just watch the connection he and his brother had was really special, especially as parents.”
As the Knights now prepare for playoffs and a possible first CIF title, senior night served as a reminder of what made this team successful and special all season long: strong leadership, close friendships, and a community that goes far beyond the court.
