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4 MUSD standouts make All-VOL first team
All-VOL Boys Volleyball
Manteca middle Rob Hevener times his block against Sierra’s Julio Vargas in Valley Oak League play. - photo by SEAN KAHLER

Manteca’s talented front-row tandem of Jesus Gomez and Rob Hevener have made the All-Valley Oak League First Team for a second straight season.

Sierra junior libero Manolo Asuncion joins them after making the second team as a sophomore. East Union junior outside hitter Gabriel Estabillo also gets the first-team nod after receiving honorable mention last year.

Mountain House (12-0, 24-7) went undefeated in VOL play and swept the major awards. Mustangs senior setter Hosea Alimboyoguen is MVP, senior middle Andrew Gregory earned Most Outstanding and Michelle Laban received Coach of the Year.

All-VOL Boys Volleyball
Jesus Gomez spikes against the block from East Union’s James Russell (12) and Isaac Serrato (3) on Manteca’s senior night. - photo by SEAN KAHLER

Gomez and Hevener led the Buffaloes (10-2 VOL, 22-7 overall) to a runner-up finish and a Sac-Joaquin Section Division II playoff appearance.

The 6-foot-2 Gomez is back on the all-league first team despite missing four of Manteca’s final six league contests because of a hand injury. He did play on senior night against East Union and at Mountain House in the next match with his left hand wrapped.

Gomez finished with 71 kills in 21 league sets (3.4 per), 14 aces and 43 digs. The 6-4 Hevener led Manteca with 29 blocks to go with 91 kills and 10 aces.

All-VOL Boys Volleyball
Sierra libero Manolo Asuncion makes the pass in front of teammate Ole Schmidt in a Valley Oak League match at Manteca. - photo by SEAN KAHLER

Asuncion helped Sierra (8-4, 19-9) take third in the competitive VOL and make a run to the SJS Division III semifinals. He paced the Timberwolves with 160 digs (4.3 per set), while adding 26 assists and 10 service aces.

Estabillo anchored an up-and-coming East Union team (5-7, 9-17) that loses just three players to graduation. The Lancers’ six-rotation standout amassed 144 kills (3.7 per set) in league matches, while adding nine aces, 14 blocks and 51 digs.

Four other players from Manteca Unified schools were named to the All-VOL Second Team.

All-VOL Boys Volleyball
East Union outside hitter Gabriel Estabillo hits against Sierra’s Christian Mahabadi. - photo by SEAN KAHLER

Highlighting the group are breakout performers Logan Romriell and Chandler Harris. With Gomez going down with his injury, Romriell stepped up to lead the Buffaloes with 97 kills. Only a freshman, Harris (322 assists, 29 aces, 58 digs) replaced former league MVP and Most Outstanding Player Mark Bondoc at setter and proved to be up to the task.

Sierra junior outside hitter Ole Schmidt (119 kills, 10 aces, 42 digs) and East Union senior setter Isaac Serrato (182 assists, 19 aces, 15 blocks) are also second-team selections.

Getting honorable mention are Manteca junior middle blocker Chase Cheng, Sierra junior middle blocker Ayden Bryant and East Union junior outside hitter Jacob Padilla.