Warriors volleyball team is reworked and reloaded

By Kyle Jorrey jorrey@theacorn.com

STEPPING IN-Former middle blocker Joey Zuziak is fitting in nicely at outside hitter, especially since he's learned to pass.

A year after inheriting a lineup loaded with talent from departed head coach Greg Gibbons, longtime volleyball coach Doug Magorien is getting the opportunity to put his own knowledge to good use—reconfiguring this year’s group in such a way that it scarcely resembles the Warriors of a season ago who advanced to the CIF finals for the first time in school history.

"Last season was all about not trying to screw up a good thing," Magorien said. "This season things are a lot more hands on, we had to experiment a lot more with different ideas. But things are coming together nicely."

And while fans and opponents can expect new and different things from the Westlake boys’ volleyball team, don’t expect its standing as one of the Marmonte League’s elite to change any time soon.

"This is a completely different team from the one it was a year ago," Magorien said. "We’ve had to fill in some gaps and make some big changes but so far the guys have been totally receptive. It’s going to be very exciting to see how all of this works out."

KILLING IT-Rory Brandt slams down a hard spike during practice earlier in the week. Brandt is one of a number of new faces in the Westlake lineup that hopes to pick up where last year's team left off.

Gone are four starters—three outside hitters and one setter, last year’s Marmonte League Player of the Year, Travis Foltz.

Filling in at the hitting positions are returning starting middle blockers Sam Cantor and Joey Zuziak, who’ve had to make the challenging transition from middle to outside and adjust to their new role as Westlake’s primary weapons.

"Going from middle blocker to outside hitter is like two totally different worlds," Zuziak said. "Last year I would come in for three rotations and step off for three. Now I’m getting set 70 percent of the time and I’m passing the entire game. It’s a new world, but I’m enjoying the change."

At 6-6 and 6-4, Cantor and Zuziak make for two formidable attackers—but their first challenge was learning to pass. This came with the help of their head coach, practice reps and a lot of patience.

"When coach (Magorien) first put Sam and I out there to pass, it was pretty horrific," Zuziak said. "But now it’s getting better."

Replacing Foltz at setter is varsity newcomer Josh Howley. Though he has some big shoes to fill, his head coach said the 5-7 junior is coming along just fine.

"When you lose all your passers and your setter, you basically lose the framework and the brain of your team," Magorien said. "Then you have to redo the framework and work on educating the brain. That’s what we’re doing right now."

While Howley might not have the long resume and the years of club experience others have, he does have that one attribute all coaches are looking for.

"He’s got heart," Magorien said. "He puts his heart into it and I can see him working very hard. He’s a gym rat who loves volleyball. He’s dedicated to getting better."

Other key contributors to this year’s roster will be Rory Brandt, Scott Leming, Andrew Chen, Adrian Guthals and returner David Glazer. Brandt is the team’s third outside hitter and another player Magorien expects big things from.

"He’s a major role player for us," Magorien said.

Through three games in the season—four including the alumni game—the new look Warriors appear pretty spiffy in their brand new getup. They won their first two matches against non-league opponents Dos Pueblos, 3-1, and Valencia, 3-0, before dropping a gut-wrenching loss to Marmonte rival Simi, 3-2, last Friday.

"We definitely didn’t play our best match (against Simi) but we came out with the kind of confidence it takes to win, and that’s a good sign," Magorien said.

Up next for the Warriors is a Friday home showdown against Royal, which along with T.O. and Simi, look to be Westlake’s biggest competition for another league crown.

While things remain a work in progress, the pieces are beginning to fall into place. It’s clear Westlake has the size and ability to keep up with any opponent, but can they do the little things it takes to contend for a first-ever division title?

Only time will tell.

"We have the super weapons, now, we just need to get our defense and digging down," Magorien said. "If we start digging the ball, I don’t know what teams are going to do."

Zuziak, who was a big part of last year’s title run, said he’s already started to find the unique qualities in this season’s edition of Warrior volleyball—qualities that make him very excited about the future.

"We have such a huge opportunity for greatness, it’s almost mind-blowing," Zuziak said. "Last year’s group was really special, but I see a lot of potential in this team as well."

Still very early, Magorien said this team has already shown it has a lot going for it.

"Some of these guys had to move out of positions they’ve been playing their whole careers, but they did it because they knew it was for the good of the team," he said. "That says a lot for them that they were willing to leave their comfort zones with risk of adverse possibility. And they did it with a great attitude."