Justice served for former Placer star

The last time most Placer High fans saw Sydney McDowell, she was laid out on the floor of Earl Crabbe Gym in agony after spraining her ankle during warm-ups for Placer's 2006 volleyball playoff opener.Her father Bill McDowell took a teaching job at Mission Viejo High over the summer, sending the family to southern California in July, just months before Sydney's senior year. Though disappointed initially, Sydney eventually warmed up to the prospects of volleyball on the sunny SoCal coast.After practicing with the Mission Viejo squad during the summer and quickly making friends with her new teammates, McDowell was struck with another cruel bit of fortune. California Interscholastic Federation rules prohibited her from playing for the Diablos this fall because she lives just outside the school district boundary."We live four minutes from the school," McDowell said, trying to downplay her exasperation.McDowell's fortunes finally took an upswing this week. On Wednesday, she signed a letter of intent for a full-ride volleyball scholarship to Cal State Fullerton, following through on the verbal commitment she made to the Titans in June.She's maintained her fitness and skills through participating in clinics and private training throughout the fall. McDowell is trying out for club teams in the Newport/Mission Viejo area this weekend and hasn't lost any of her trademark enthusiasm for the game.Bill, who taught drafting at Placer for 13 years, said he and his wife Nancy are excited to see their daughter on the court again. They plan on seeing many of Sydney's matches in person and that was one of the factors in their move from Auburn."We really enjoy watching her play," Bill said. "I needed a change after 13 years at Placer. I'm one of those people that believes change is good, just to revitalize things."The scholarship's financial value is an added bonus for the McDowells, who've spent many years investing in club volleyball and extensive travel for their daughter."The money we're saving for college might pay us back," McDowell said.Sydney said she checked auburnjournal.com often this fall to catch up with the Hillgals. She also spoke regularly with Placer coach Jennifer Wright after the bittersweet separation over the summer."At first I was really upset about the move, I was really against it," McDowell said. "Then I got used to the idea and I wanted to be in Southern California. It was cool, but it was like, 'I don't want to leave my team. I felt like I was abandoning my teammates.'"Placer adjusted well to McDowell's absence, finishing tied for second in the Pioneer Valley League and making it to the second round of the section playoffs.It's tough not to imagine what might have been if the 6-foot-2 middle blocker had been back in green and gold though. McDowell started as a freshman for the Hillgals and quickly reminded many of the player she's tried to emulate throughout her career - Karly Sipherd. "She was starting as a freshman and she made all-league honorable mention and then she was all-league as a sophomore," Bill McDowell said. "At that point you realize they have more potential than you thought. We just wanted to support her and try to develop her talent."McDowell plans on studying political science at Fullerton with an eye on law school down the road. "I want to be a district attorney," she said.With the adversity she's seen in the past year, it's only fitting that McDowell's career plan is to try and uphold justice.