The Eastlake High School boys volleyball team reigned supreme in last year’s San Diego Section Division II playoffs.
The Titans tied Otay Ranch for the Metro-Mesa League regular season title as the teams battled to a 7-1 league standoff. Eastlake then swept the field in CIF postseason play.
When the season finally ended with a runner-up finish in the championship round of the Southern California Division III regional playoffs, the Titans had compiled a lopsided 33-8 record.
Following the graduation of five key seniors off last year’s team, however, it could be a different ending for the Titans this season, at least based on the team’s straight sets loss to host Bonita Vista on March 21.
The Barons, 3-5 in league play last season, swept Eastlake 25-18, 25-17, 25-20 to face off Metro-Mesa play with a 1-0 record while improving to 17-4 this spring.
The loss evened the Titans league mark at 1-1, 15-9 overall.
Of course, there are a lot of games left in the new season, so nothing is set in stone yet.
But Bonita Vista coach Luis Contreras and his charges certainly had much to be proud of with the opening league win over Eastlake.
“Beating Eastlake was sweet, it was a long time coming, too,” Contreras said. “The boys really put in a great job that day in playing physically strong and also mentally strong.”
The Barons are coming of a second-round exit in last year’s Division II playoffs, so the anticipation is for a better postseason finish in 2024. Bolstered by the win over Eastlake, Bonita Vista entered the week No. 9 in the section rankings.
Top returners include senior outside hitter Daniel Robitaille, senior libero Noah Kircher, junior outside hitter Luke Janssen and sophomore middle blocker D’Orin Ayres.
Robitaille, Kircher and Janssen serve as captains.
Impact newcomers include senior setter Travis Mack and senior middle blocker Sean Savoie.
“Our team goals are to always get better, play disciplined, and win CIF,” Contreras said. “Our strengths include defense and offense, keeping the ball up until we get the kill.”
Eastlake isn’t exactly out of the running following the loss to Bonita Vista. The Titans, the No. 11 team in the section rankings, promptly regrouped with non-league wins over Canyon Springs (25-10, 25-13, 25-11), La Jolla (21-25, 24-26, 25-19, 25-18, 15-10) and Patrick Henry (25-18, 29-31, 15-12) in tournament play.
Eastlake spiked Mar Vista by scores of 25-19, 23-25, 25-18, 25-17 to face off league play on March 19.
Sophomore Sean Fleming keyed the Titans with 24 kills, two aces and 17 digs while senior Gannon Walters logged eight kills, 14 digs and 26 assists.
Senior Tobi Barrett led Mar Vista with 17 assists.
Senior Giovanni Smith recorded 14 digs while Walters had 14 assists in the loss to Bonita Vista.
Above the net
Olympian is off to a 14-9 start in non-league play this season while Otay Ranch entered the week No. 15 in the section rankings.
Hilltop is the defending Metro-South Bay League champion while Mater Dei Catholic won last year’s Metro-Pacific League championship.
At the section level, Cathedral Catholic won last year’s Open Division championship while Poway won the Division I title, Eastlake the Division II banner, Granite Hills the Division III championship, West Hills the Division IV title and Foothills Christian the Division V banner.
San Diego Section
Boys Volleyball Rankings
(MaxPreps through March 21)
- Torrey Pines 10-1
- Carlsbad 13-6
- Cathedral Catholic 11-6
- Westview 13-5
- Del Norte 11-7
- Poway 14-8
- Mission Vista 20-4
- Classical Academy 18-4
- Bonita Vista 16-4
- Sage Creek 25-6
- Eastlake 12-6
- La Jolla 13-4
- Bishop’s 21-3
- Scripps Ranch 8-6
- Otay Ranch 12-3
- Granite Hills 15-7
- Santa Fe Christian 11-8
- Clairemont 11-5
- Canyon Crest Academy 9-10
- La Costa Canyon 5-10
BOYS LACROSSE RANKINGS
1. La Costa Canyon 2-1, 2. Fallbrook 5-0, 3. Pacific Ridge 3-0, 4. Torrey Pines 2-1, 5. Olympian 4-0, 6. San Dieguito Academy 3-1, 7. Grossmont 2-1, 8. Eastlake 6-2, 9. Bonita Vista 4-2, 10. Pt. Loma 4-3, 11. West Hills 4-3, 12. Carlsbad 2-1, 13. Cathedral Catholic 3-4, 14. Foothills Christian 5-3, 15. Canyon Crest Academy 2-1, 16. San Diego 4-3, 17. Bishop’s 1-2, 18. Mater Dei Catholic 4-2, 19. Mission Hills 3-4, 20. San Marcos 2-2
GIRLS LACROSSE RANKINGS
1. Coronado 6-0, 2. Torrey Pines 7-1, 3. Bishop’s 8-0, 4. Cathedral Catholic 4-4, 5. San Marcos 5-3, 6. Del Norte 6-2, 7. Carlsbad 7-3, 8. Scripps Ranch 3-3, 9. Pt. Loma 5-1, 10. Sage Creek 8-1, 11. University City 6-3, 12. San Ysidro 6-1, 13. Poway 4-4, 14. Fallbrook 8-2, 15. La Jolla 3-3, 16. Patrick Henry 3-3, 17. El Capitan 6-2, 18. Mater Dei Catholic 8-3, 19. Classical Academy 6-1, 20. Eastlake 4-2
