Sportswriter takes to the road with girls volleyball team

Editor's Note: The following journal was taken while Jonathan C. Oglesby was embedded as a sports columnist on the Moapa Valley girls volleyball bus, on a trip to the Nevada State Volleyball Championship in Reno.

For years, going to Reno for Nevada state championships was an annual rite of passage for Moapa Valley High School's volleyball team. Why? Because Moapa Valley won 13 consecutive state championships, the longest streak in Nevada history.

In 2004, the streak finally ended and the trips to Reno for Moapa Valley's volleyball girls ended with it -- at least until the 2008 Pirate volleyball team returned to greatness.

Under the leadership of head coach and five-time state championship winner Matt Messer, the Pirates used All-Division libero Jessica Waite, All-Division outside hitters Brianne Olige and Shelby Thompson, and All-Division setter Cydney Solomon to become a contender once again.

In 2008, the Pirates went 5-1 in the Southern 3A Conference, winning the league championship. In the division championship, Moapa Valley easily dispatched Boulder City before beating Faith Lutheran 3-1 for the right to play for the state title.

It has taken awhile to get over the disappointment but here is the story of their two-day, 1,000-plus mile journey to Reno.

Thursday, Nov. 13

6:15 a.m. -- I'm awake. Now it's time to get packing. I have to get the broadcast equipment ready, make sure I charged my camera, and get my aviator shades. Why? Because I'm "State Bound '08" with the Moapa Valley volleyball team.

6:45 a.m. -- I'm all done packing. In less than an hour, I'll be on a chartered bus for Reno. I haven't even said the best part; I am traveling with the Moapa Valley girls volleyball team, which hopes to bring home a state title. There are 14 girls, four coaches and one chaperone. I'm going to observe the behavioral nature (that sounds pretty complex) of girls. I hope to understand what they do and why they do what they do. I'm gonna be a millionaire once I give out those secrets. Somebody said that riding with the girls will be tough. I know it won't be.

7:25 a.m. -- We are just leaving the school after a big sendoff and I am ready for action.

10:26 a.m. -- Get me off of this bus, now! I've had just about enough. The girls are nice, but all they do is ask where the next town is. I don't wanna hear one more time that all the girls have to use the bathroom, because it's making me need to go, too.

12:05 p.m. -- Finally, Tonopah. I never thought I would be so happy to see Tonopah in my life. After taking care of all of my necessary affairs, I got to get a fresh, hot meal of a Burger King Whopper and french fries. Now that everybody ate, I think it is nap time.

3:09 p.m. -- We finally have reached the outskirts of civilization, Fernley. I know it's not Vegas, but for a kid from Moapa, Fernley is huge. I've learned much over the past 400-odd miles. I've learned that girls talk about, do, and laugh about the same things as guys.

4:17 p.m. -- Girls snore. What a shocker? Just wait till the guys hear this.

6:23 p.m. -- Our bus driver is lost. I can't believe it. I thought he had a GPS system.

11:49 p.m. -- I'm happy. I'm finally in a quiet room, and all I've got next is to get my beauty sleep -- I mean rest, for the semifinal game.

Friday, Nov. 14

7:03 a.m. -- I'm awake again. After getting dressed, I go downstairs for the team breakfast. I'm letting the girls eat, but they are pretty nervous, pretty excited and just pretty. They are ready for this. I hope they do well.

8:25 a.m. -- It's game time. And nothing gets a broadcaster/writer/manager ready for the game like music ("We Are Family" by Sister Sledge). Three doughnuts, a glass of milk and a banana later, I'm ready to watch us go all the way.

10:30 a.m. -- We lost. I can't believe it. I feel so bad for the girls. They all look so sad. So I did what any idiot would do, I told them they would do better next year. That wouldn't have been bad, except I said that to all the seniors. No wonder I can't get a girlfriend.

2:46 p.m. -- Bye-bye Reno. It's going to be a long ride home. At least the girls are talking to me after my comment. The last leg of the journey has only begun, though; one mile down, 512 to go. Maybe if I take a nap, I'll feel better.

6:26 p.m. -- What the heck just happened? I woke up and all the girls were sitting around me. Worse, they've been taking pictures of me drooling on my pillow. Hopefully, that picture never gets circulated around town. I'll lose my rep as "Jonny Thunder." I'll be "Jonny Thunder-Drooler."

9:35 p.m. -- One hour till home. I feel like a washed-up rock star who drove a thousand miles to perform in a 20-seat bar.

10:40 p.m. -- Why did the best part of this trip get saved for the last 20 minutes? I go through all of the desert nothingness, all of the little towns, which have the "Welcome To" and "You're Now Leaving" signs on the same post, and all of the greasy fast food and all I get is 20 minutes of something to write about.

I didn't know that many girls knew all three verses of Garth Brooks' "Friends in Low Places." I think this proves my thesis. Oh yeah, I didn't state my thesis yet. My thesis is that men and women do, think and say the same things; we just don't always do them the same way. I've ridden a football, forensics and volleyball bus and all of the topics I've talked about are the same: music, sports, food and girls. (Yes, even girls talk about girls.)

10:45 p.m. -- We just pulled in to the high school. I'm sad the trip's over; I was just figuring out the question that nobody understands. Aw, forget it. I've got better things to do.