The Sunnyvale Sun

Sports

Mustangs rolling up volleyball victories

By Mike Barnhart

It's no wonder that Homestead's volleyball team has been piling up victories this season. Just as in 2006, when it rolled unbeaten to the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League championship, a combination of size, strength, skill and athleticism has proven too much for most opponents to handle.

But, there is a different ingredient in the 2007 Mustangs' success recipe--senior leadership. With eight returning seniors this season, including third-year varsity players Ryan Bridge, Ryan Dedrick and Weston Buckner, Homestead has rallied from behind in several matches and built records of 10-0 in league and 24-2 overall.

Entering a match at Wilcox on April 10, Homestead rode a month-long, 19-match win streak and was ranked No. 1 in the Central Coast Section by centralcoastvolleyball.net. The winning stretch included best-of-three tournament victories over Bellarmine and previously undefeated Mountain View in the Leland Charger Classic, March 31, and a best-of-five league triumph over the Spartans three days later.

Bridge, a 6-foot-5 setter who is the team's floor leader for the third straight season, is like an assistant coach on the court for coach Matt Hoffman and the Mustangs, making smart decisions and adjusting the offense when necessary. In addition to setting up middle blockers Dedrick (6-foot-8) and sophomore Luke Rosener (6-foot-4), senior outside hitters Buckner (6-foot), Andrew Blazensky (6-foot) and Dale Park (5-foot-11) and 6-foot-3 senior opposite hitter Paul Wadensweiler for their shots, Bridge also uses his height to strengthen the team's attack and its defensive blocking ability.

Libero Brian Nguyen, another returning senior, often gets the plays going for Homestead with excellent court coverage and fine passing. Hoffman considers Nguyen among the section's best at the position.

Homestead's maturity was key in the team's comeback win at Mountain View on April 3. Fresh off taking two of three games from both Mountain View and six-time CCS champion Bellarmine en route to a 7-0 record and the Charger Classic title, the Mustangs could have been ripe for an upset.

The Mustangs dropped the first game, 25-15, but maintained their poise. They went on to capture the next three games, 25-23, 25-17, 25-20, as Buckner put away 13 kills.

Returning home the next night against always-tough Los Gatos, the Mustangs swept the Wildcats 25-21, 25-11, 25-18 behind Dedrick's nine kills.

Dedrick and Buckner put away seven kills apiece last Friday night at Fremont (2-10 league, 6-16 overall). Homestead won the first game, 25-13, but the Firebirds bounced back to win a 25-22 battle in the second. The Mustangs, though, recovered to close out the match 25-15, 25-17.

If the Mustangs win at Wilcox and against visiting Lynbrook on April 12, they will take a 21-game win streak into spring break and their next competition, the Los Gatos Invitational on April 21. That tournament and a return date with Mountain View on Senior Night, May 3, should provide Homestead with its biggest challenges prior to the CCS tournament.

The Homestead match was the fourth in four nights for the Firebirds. They lost a five-game thriller to Monta Vista, but lost three straight the next night to visiting Saratoga. Sophomore Charles Enchill had five kills against the Falcons.

Led by senior middle blocker Dean Catungal's eight kills, the Firebirds earned their second win of the season at Santa Clara, beating the Bruins 25-20, 16-25, 25-13, 25-21.

Mustangs top Fremont

Moments after Fremont sophomore Evan Kashi edged Homestead junior Jeff Meadows in the 100-yard breaststroke last Friday, the former Sunnyvale Swim Club teammates congratulated one another before hopping out of the Fremont pool.

It had been a good meet for both in the El Camino Division dual between neighboring schools, but Homestead went home with team victories in both portions of the meet, 102-66 for the boys and 107-63 for the girls.

In addition to winning the 100 breast, Kashi captured the 100 butterfly and teamed with Matthew Amm, Evan Mahoney and Vlad Kozyrev to win the 200 freestyle relay.

Meanwhile, Meadows placed first in the 200 free and teamed with Kyle Hu, Paul Kim and Geovid Kali to win the 200 medley relay and the 400 free relay.

Hu also touched first in the 50 free and the 100 backstroke, while Kim outpaced the field in the 500 and 100 free races. Adam Crockett of Homestead won the 200 individual medley, nipping Fremont's Alan Mattos by .07.

Aside from Julia Chen's victory in the 100 breaststroke, the Homestead girls placed first in every event. Freshman Anne Peanasky and senior Michelle Camburn both won two individual events and helped win both freestyle relays. Peanasky was first in the 50 and 200 freestyle events, while Camburn took the 200 IM and 500 free. Senior Emily Pool (100 fly) and juniors Stephanie Kung (100 back) and Kristy Peanasky (100 free) also were winners for the Mustangs.

Kung, Jessica Lawrence, Lisa Yao and K. Peanasky won the medley relay. The Peanasky sisters, Camburn and Jess Bergman took the 200 free relay. Camburn, A. Peanasky, Yao and Bergman won the 400 relay.

Homestead's girls placed second to Monta Vista in the seven-team Lynbrook Invitational on Saturday. Camburn won the 500 in 5:18.37.

The boys, who were fifth out of eight teams, were paced by Kali's victory in the 50 free in 22.46.