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Manteca setter is VOL’s Most Outstanding Player
All-VOL boys volleyball
Manteca’s Mark Bondoc sets as Rob Hevener makes his approach for an attack in a Valley Oak League home match against Mountain House. - photo by SEAN KAHLER

 Mark Bondoc is going out with a second major award on the All-Valley Oak League boys volleyball team.

The recent Manteca High graduate was named Most Outstanding Player after leading the Buffaloes (10-2 VOL, 21-9 overall) to a second-place finish. Last year, the setter was named MVP.

Five Manteca players in all made all-league, two on the first team. Third-place Sierra (9-3, 19-3) has three all-league selections, and East Union (6-6, 11-13) has two.

Mountain House (11-1, 23-6) won the league championship in its first year in the VOL, ending Manteca’s three-year reign at the top. Mustangs outside hitter Manil Mehta is MVP, and Michelle Laban received Coach of the Year.

Bondoc anchored Manteca with his all-around play, accumulating 300 assists (7.3 per set) in league matches while himself posing as a scoring threat with his sneaky dumps. He contributed 32 kills in the attack and a team-high 26 aces. Defensively, he racked up 94 digs and eight blocks. Bondoc will continue playing for NCAA Division III Valley Forge of Pennsylvania on an academic scholarship.

Two front-line juniors from Manteca join Bondoc on the all-league first team, and they were among the most productive players in the Sac-Joaquin Section.

A second-team player as a sophomore, 6-foot-2 outside hitter Jesus Gomez paced the Buffs with 142 kills in league (3.7 per set) and was also their digs leader with 124. He also netted 13 aces and 12 blocks. His 365 overall kills is 15th most in the SJS, according to MaxPreps.

Rob Hevener, a 6-4 middle, finished No. 12 in the section with 95 total blocks. Forty of those stuffs came in league matches, and he was second on the team with 81 kills.

Sophomore outside hitter Logan Romriell (57 kills, 19 aces) and junior libero Alex Khizeran (19 aces, 110 digs) represent Manteca on the second team.

All-VOL boys volleyball
Sierra outside hitter Landon West spikes against the East Union block in Valley Oak League play. - photo by SEAN KAHLER

Sierra standout middle blocker Owen Altadonna is back on the All-VOL first team after earning Most Outstanding a year ago. He amassed 125 kills, 56 blocks and 14 aces in league, and his 105 overall blocks are ninth most in the SJS. He is bound for Division I Menlo College.

Fellow Timberwolf senior Landon West enjoyed a breakthrough season and was one of the top all-around players in the area. League coaches took notice, tabbing him on the all-league first team. He led Sierra with 159 kills to go with 45 blocks and 82 digs.

A pair of sophomores made the second team for Sierra in setter Toan Do (369 assists, 24 kills, 35 assists, 68 digs, 15 blocks) and defensive specialist Manolo Asuncion (187 digs, 12 aces).

All-VOL boys volleyball
East Union libero Keenan Yang passes against Sierra. - photo by SEAN KAHLER
East Union senior libero Keenan Yang amassed 138 digs and nine aces to earn a spot on the first team. Lancers senior outside hitter Guadalupe Reyes (79 kills, 90 assists) was named to the second team.

Local players earning honorable mention are East Union sophomore outside hitter Gabriel Estabillo, Manteca sophomore middle Damon Cheng and Sierra sophomore outside hitter Thinh Huynh.