STOCKTON – Two league champions squared off Tuesday night in the opening round of the Sac Joaquin Section Division II boys volleyball playoffs, but in the end it was host No. 7 San Joaquin Athletic Association champion Weston Ranch that won the final three sets to defeat 10th-seeded Valley Oak League champion Manteca, 20-25, 25-21, 25-17, 26-24.
The first set was back and forth with 11 ties and two lead changes with neither team leading by more than two points until the Buffaloes (20-9) went from a 17-17 tie to lead 21-17 on the way to a 25-20 win.
The second set started off like the first, with nine ties up until 10-10 when the Cougars (22-4) went on a 4-0 run and led the rest of the way to a 25-21 win. Weston Ranch dominated the third set and the start of the fourth until the Buffaloes tied the game at 11-11 with 10 more ties until 24-24 and the Cougars scored the last two points to win the match.
“It was good volleyball that came down to the wire,” Manteca coach Jennifer Reis said. “There were so many long rallies that both teams fought and battled through, but when push came to shove, they won a lot of those rallies and their No. 11 (Abraham Palacios) on the outside was all over the place and put the pressure on us on us in every way. Serves by No. 24 (Amari Dacus) gave us trouble because they had a lot of action on them. It was hard to tell if they were going to be in or out.
“I am super proud of the boys and how they responded and how they fought tonight. We have Camden (Steckler) as a four-year starter, and he is going to leave a big hole for us to try and fill. It would have been nice to send him off with a playoff win, but it didn’t quite work out that way.”
Steckler led the Buffaloes with 20 digs, 17 kills and five blocks. Cedrick Maglinao added 24 digs followed by Manny Ramirez with 18 digs, Garrison Reis (15 digs), Julio Mateo (eight kills), Nick Grabowski (five kills, four digs) and Mark Bondoc (22 assists).
“I came a long way from starting here four years ago,” Steckler said. “My goal was to improve as much as possible over the last four years and I think I did, as did the team. We learned a lot from the high level of play we went up against. I am just happy overall with how volleyball in the VOL and the Valley in general has sprouted up and become super popular.
“Schools like Weston Ranch, Sierra and East Union have improved a lot, and it has been great to see everyone improve. And as a program we improved as well.”
Palacios paced Weston Ranch with 19 kills and four blocks. Diego Montes added 30 digs and Eleazar Nava dished out 40 assists.
The Cougars travel to Roseville on Thursday to take on No. 2 Woodcreek at 7 p.m.
“I have to give Manteca High a lot of credit,” xxxxx coach Rebecca Kinlaw said. “They battled us. They really did. And it was back and forth all night long. I am just really proud of my kids.
“After that first set, we just kind of took a deep breath and realized it was going to be a long battle and take it one point at a time, one play at a time. In the second set once we brought the energy, that gave us confidence, and then our hits get a little bit harder and out blocks and passes get a little bit better.”
