Erwin Macalaguim is in the process of wrapping up a long and successful volleyball coaching career at Eastlake High School.
His 2023 boys team made history by winning the San Diego Section Division II championship. His girls teams have excelled over the years and look to once again be in the championship mix.
Macalaguim has coached EHS teams for 20 years, starting as head coach in 2007 with the girls varsity program.
“This is it,” Macalaguim said following Eastlake’s three-game Metro-Mesa League sweep at Bonita Vista on Sept. 21.
The Lady Titans improved to 14-3 overall this season, 2-0 in league, following last Friday’s three-game sweep against visiting Olympian.
“We’re getting into the meat of our schedule now,” the EHS coach said in advance of Friday’s Nike Tournament of Champions event in Phoenix.
The Lady Titans are set to face off elite play against Timber Creek from Orlando, Fla.
Then it’s back home to face Metro-Mesa League rival Otay Ranch on Wednesday, Oct. 4, and Kamehameha, Hawaii, on Oct. 9. The homestand continues with an Oct. 10 encounter against Mater Dei Catholic.
Eastlake will play eight league games, including two against each league rival.
Eastlake and Otay Ranch have once again emerged as front-runners to win the league banner with 2-0 starts while Mater Dei Catholic is 1-0 to start league play.
Eastlake and Otay Ranch are also in the strong mix to qualify for this year’s Open Division playoffs.
Otay Ranch (29-2) entered the week ranked fourth in the section while Eastlake was ranked sixth. The top eight-seeded teams qualify for the Open Division.
Despite Macalaguim stepping aside from his head coaching duties after this season, he said the team goals remain the same this season.
“It’s always the same — win league and try to win CIF,” he said. “League this year will be tough. Otay Ranch is very good. CIF always is tough since we seem to be in the Open Division a lot of times. It’s always a dogfight.”
The Lady Titans have placed third in both the La Jolla and Westview tournaments, so the team has already faced the type of competition that would come in the CIF playoffs.
Ranked ahead of Otay Ranch are No. 1 Cathedral Catholic (21-3), No. 2 Westview (14-3) and No. 3 Bishop’s (19-3).
No. 5 El Capitan (15-4) is ranked ahead of Eastlake. Following the Lady Titans in the rankings are No. 7 Torrey Pines (4-3), No. 8 San Marcos (22-8), No. 9 Del Norte (11-4) and No. 10 San Dieguito Academy (18-7).
The Lady Titans defeated Bonita Vista by scores of 25-7, 25-14, 26-24. The Lady Barons (7-11) rallied from an early 7-1 deficit to tie, 19-19, then move ahead by scores of 20-19 and 21-20. Eastlake went ahead 24-22 but Bonita Vista rallied to tie, 24-24, before the visitors were finally able to snare the final two points to wrap up the sweep.
Statistical leaders for the Lady Titans included junior Ariel Chime with nine kills, senior Samantha Bondoc with eight kills, junior Kenidee Wax with 13 assists, senior Taylor Albano with eight digs and senior Lily Stewart with two aces.
Eastlake defeated Olympian (9-18 overall, 0-4 in league) by scores of 25-11, 25-12, 25-17.
Otay Ranch carried a 17-match winning streak into Wednesday’s home match against Mater Dei Catholic.
Macalaguim’s legacy is helping advance players to the next level. He estimates he’s coached between 40 and 45 players to the collegiate level, including his club Flash 619 team, and about 20 to 25 from the EHS program.
“As coaches, we have the opportunity to teach the girls the understanding and commitment of what it takes to get to the next level,” he said. “Winning is a by-product.”
San Diego Section Girls Volleyball Rankings
South County teams
Division I
1. Cathedral Catholic (21-3), 2. Westview (13-3), 3. Bishop’s (19-3), 4. Otay Ranch (29-2), 5. El Capitan (15-4), 6. Eastlake (14-3), 7. Torrey Pines (4-3), 8. San Marcos (22-8), 9. Del Norte (11-4), 10. San Dieguito Academy (18-7), 11. Rancho Bernardo (13-10), 12. Carlsbad (16-7), 13. Sage Creek (19-15), 14. La Jolla Country Day (9-12), 15. Canyon Crest Academy (3-6), 16. Santa Fe Christian (7-11), 17. La Jolla (4-8), 18. Point Loma (3-6), 19. Granite Hills (4-7), 20. Bonita Vista (7-11), 21. Poway (12-8), 22. Classical Academy (5-9), 23. La Costa Canyon (1-11), 24. Francis Parker (12-7)
Division II
1. Helix (12-5), 2. Pacific Ridge (11-5), 3. Christian (12-5),4. Our Lady of Peace (14-5), 5. Mission Vista (14-10), 6. Scripps Ranch (6-5), 7. Fallbrook (12-7), 8. University City (19-5), 9. Vista (10-10), 10. Maranatha Christian (13-5), 11. Patrick Henry (13-14), 12. Mater Dei Catholic (16-6), 13. Coronado (14-11), 14. Mt. Carmel (13-11), 15. Valhalla (6-8), 16. Holtville (12-8), 17. Chula Vista Learning Community Charter (8-6), 18. Olympian (9-18), 19. Escondido (6-13), 20. Ramona (1-15), 21. Foothills Christian (10-12)
Division III
1. San Pasqual (20-5), 2. Mission Bay (21-7), 3. Rancho Buena Vista (12-10), 4. Central Union (14-6), 5. Brawley (18-5), 6. Santana (10-6), 7. Mission Hills (11-13), 8. West Hills (11-11), 9. Mira Mesa (11-7), 10. Steele Canyon (15-8). 11. High Tech High San Diego (8-8), 12. Horizon Prep (9-6), 13. El Camino (8-13), 14. Calexico (4-2), 15. Canyon Hills (7-12), 16. Imperial (15-2), 17. Del Lage Academy (5-10), 18. Clairemont (4-16), 19. Montgomery (6-14), 20. Escondido Charter (5-10), 21. St. Joseph Academy (3-14)
Division IV
1. Oceanside (15-5), 2. Valley Center (13-9), 3. Victory Christian Academy (7-3), 4. San Diego Jewish Academy (5-2), 5. Ocean View Christian Academy (6-0), 6. Hilltop (10-12), 7. Tri-City Chrtistian (7-3), 8. Grossmont (8-8), 9. Coastal Academy (11-4), 10. Mar Vista (6-15), 11. Hoover (3-5), 12. Southwest (8-16), 13. San Diego (17-5), 14. Liberty Charter (8-5), 15. Cambridge School (9-11), 16. High Tech High mesa (8-16), 17. Mountain Empire (4-15), 18. Monarch Academy (5-12), 19. High Tech High Chula Vista (5-6), 20. El Cajon Valley (5-11), 21. Monte Vista (1-13)
Division V
1. Lincoln (19-4), 2. Southwest El Centro (12-9) 3. Sweetwater (9-9), 4. Palo Verde Valley (4-15), 5. San Yisdro (9-13), 6. Orange Glen (7-7), 7. Kearny (6-10), 8. Gompers Prep (7-2), 9. Madison (6-11), 10. Health Sciences High (2-2), 11. O’Farrell Charter (8-11), 12. Chula Vista (5-11), 13. Mt. Miguel (4-9), 14. Bayfront Charter (3-6), 15. Castle Park (2-14), 16. Morse (2-14), 17. Crawford (4-12), 18. Guajome Park (1-10)
