Oakdale and Sonora have been the top dogs when it comes to volleyball in the Valley Oak League. In the last five years, it’s been one — or the other or both in some cases — that has come away with the title.

It’s just a matter of which team from Manteca would finish right behind them.

East Union, Manteca and Sierra have each made recent runs to the Sac-Joaquin Section playoffs, taking turns in placing third in league. Last year, EU and Sierra finished 3 and 4 and earned postseason berths.

But there is no guarantee that any of them will return in 2011.

That’s because Manteca Unified rival Weston Ranch, which has never before qualified for the playoffs, has emerged as the preseason frontrunner for that No. 3 spot in the VOL. Debbie Chavez is the third head coach for the Cougars in as many years, but the change appears to have had little effect on the team.

Weston Ranch’s 4-2 nonleague record tops all of its Manteca Unified foes.  Its front line of Desiree Fonoti, Candisse Griffin, Jasvir Kaur and Miranda Holmes has been productive, and Aloni Etu quarterbacks the attack from the setter position.

East Union (3-3) is also under new management with former sophomore coach Jenaia Cano taking over for Eryn Bowers, who is on maternity leave.

Cano is familiar with most of the players on the team, with sophomore setter Regina Dias, outside hitter Kianna Lamont and libero Alex Scopas playing for her last year. Sierra Tailes, who transferred from Sierra, is a welcomed addition, as she takes over for all-VOL first-team selection Brittany LaMar at middle blocker.

Manteca and Sierra are also replacing their top players from 2010.

Alysia Atkins, the city’s hardest hitter, graduated from Sierra with first-team honors while also losing second-team outside hitter Chelsea Bereta.

Second-year junior Gabby Olmo and senior Emily Doran bring valuable experience from the setter position.

Seniors Stephanie Davis, Alison Armstrong, Victoria Watson and Victoria Schneider also return, while 6-foot-1 sophomore Allison Walljasper gives the Timberwolves some size in the middle. Trinity Johnson, a former player at Sierra, is back for her second year as head coach.

Manteca’s Tim Horning is the longest-tenured coach among the Manteca Unified schools. Now in his seventh season, he believes there is enough talent on his squad to make a run at the playoffs, noting that its tough nonleague schedule is partly responsible for its 2-4 record.

The Buffaloes have size and experience at the net, where they are led by outside hitters Jimi Guibor, Erin Kennedy and junior Julia Martinez, who has competitive club experience. Myklyn Balmut and Brittina Burch anchor the middle, where all-league selection Dallas Mould shined last year.

Juniors Sammy Morris and Nicole Magnuson are the setter and libero, respectively, while Danielle Deerinck and Breanne Hatfield are reliable utility-type players.

Lathrop continues to build in its third varsity season and is led by returning all-league second-team player Janel Butler.