Last year was a successful season for the boys’ volleyball team. After going undefeated and winning the league championship, going 20-3 overall, they made the playoffs but were swept by Branham in the 1st round. “It was a big blow towards the team,” outside hitter Jesus Acevedo said. “We went in with all the confidence in the world that we were going to win but then realized the difference in skill level.”
Thanks to winning league their reward was to move to the top division, the Gabilan. The boys are excited for the new competition Gabilan has to offer. “It presents more of a challenge for us and more rivalries,” outside hitter Angel Mejia said. “We’re going to be playing some teams that are definitely at our skill level, if not greater.”
The roster for this year’s varsity volleyball has 10 players – seniors Jesus Acevedo, Jonathan Murillo, Jeremiah Baloca, David Chan, and Lawrence Escobedo; juniors Angel Mejia, Jomax Mendoza, and Leonel Osorio; and sophomores Matt Acevedo and Joshua Rojas. Having played a couple of off-seasons together, the team built a strong chemistry. “We know our strengths and weaknesses,” Mejia said. “Most importantly, we have each other’s backs.” The captains this year are Acevedo, Baloca, and Murillo. “They’re the most consistent,” Coach Jose R. Ramos said. “They simply get the job done.”
Despite having a small team, Coach Ramos believes the team is keeping up well in the league but expects more. “We played a lot of these teams last year and we did very good,” he said. “I want us to run faster offenses. I mean when you play with other kids that know how to play the game you’re forced to get better.”
Regarding the players, they believe they need to improve their defense, as it’s not up to par with the rest of the teams, and shift their energy. “When push comes to shove we crumble” team captain Acevedo said. “That’s been a common theme through my four years, but we’re looking to change that this year.”
The boys were looking forward to playing Carmel and Monterey as they’re the teams to beat in Gabilan. In their first league game against Monterey, the boys walked away with a 3-1 win, putting them in 1st place at 2-0, and 8-3 overall. “I feel we have a strong chance at winning league, but it just all depends on the team’s chemistry,” Acevedo said
