Snubbed for the Valley Oak League’s top honor a year ago, recent Manteca graduate Kylan Chandler got his due following a successful senior campaign.
He led the Buffaloes to another undefeated run in just the second season for boys volleyball in the league and was voted Most Valuable Player. Lathrop outside hitter Tyler Riggleman earned the Most Outstanding Player honor.
Chandler finished with 134 kills, seven blocks, 95 digs and 13 aces in league.
“He’s been huge for two years in a row,” Manteca coach Kevin Bolding said. “It’s everything that he brings, not just the physical part but also the mental part. He was the total player, and without a doubt a great teammate besides being a great player.”
The Borres twins were also instrumental in the Buffaloes’ success and earned spots on the All-VOL first team. Jonathan Borres, the starting setter and an all-around talent, contributed 219 assists, 62 digs, 14 aces, 23 kills and 17 blocks. His brother Joseph was the libero, adding 156 digs and 12 aces.
“Those aren’t the biggest numbers around between the three of them, but they did what we needed,” Bolding said. “The thing with us is we were balanced. We had eight or nine players who all contributed somehow, and there were other guys who also stepped in.
“But Kylan, Johnny and Joe all brought a lot to the table.”
The Buffaloes’ all-senior starting six made the all-league team. Middle blocker Cameron Reis is a second-team selection, while Kyle Bolding and Kyle Reis made honorable mention.
Manteca went 20-4 this past season and go into 2019 with a 36-7 all-time record. The Buffs made the Sac-Joaquin Section Division III semifinals in 2017 and followed that up with a second-round appearance in the Division II tournament.
“Talk about setting the bar high,” coach Bolding said. “They were a good group. We had a lot of different backgrounds and personalities but they all blended well together.
“We had basketball players, football players and people that didn’t play any other sport, but it didn’t matter. They just all fit together well.”
Lathrop (6-4, 15-10) and East Union (6-4, 9-9) made dramatic one-year turnarounds, earning berths to the section playoffs as the VOL’s co-runners-up.
Riggleman paced the Spartans with 233 overall kills (3.8 per set) to go with 35 blocks, 26 aces and 168 digs. Gabriel Gutierrez (181 kills, 59 blocks, 39 aces and 333 digs) is among the all-league first-team selections along with East Union’s Agustin Cadaneda, Jonathan Castaneda and Parmbir Khattra, Sierra’s Cyrus Hunter and Weston Ranch’s Armando Mendoza.
Mark Fabian (Lathrop), Josh Ico (Weston Ranch), Carson Hibbs (Sierra), Grant Silva (East Union) and Lance Vann (Sierra) made the second-team list. Honorable mention players include Maikhel Bayot (Weston Ranch), Emmanuel Knight (East Union), Philip Medina (Sierra) and Eric Ponce (Lathrop).

SELECTIONS

Valley Oak League

MVP — Kylan Chandler, Manteca.

Most Outstanding — Tyler Riggleman, Lathrop.

First team — Jonathan Borres, Manteca; Joseph Borres, Manteca; Agustin Castaneda, East Union; Jonathan Castaneda, East Union; Gabriel Gutierrez, Lathrop; Cyrus Hunter, Sierra;  Parmbir Khattra, East Union; Armando Mendoza, Weston Ranch; Sukh Singh, Kimball.

Second team — Mark Fabian, Lathrop; Josh Ico, Weston Ranch; Carson Hibbs, Sierra; Mohammed Khan, Kimball; Nicco Noguez, Kimball; Cameron Reis, Manteca; Oliver Sanchez, Kimball; Grant Silva, East Union, Lance Vann, Sierra.

Honorable mention — Maikhel Bayot, Weston Ranch; Kyle Bolding, Manteca; Shane Boulom, Kimball; Emmanuel Knight, East Union; Philip Medina, Sierra; Eric Ponce, Lathrop; Kyle Reis, Manteca.