Agoura, Westlake hope to dethrone Thousand Oaks




LUNGE—Gabi Lozoya digs the ball during Tuesday’s practice for the Westlake High girls’ volleyball team.

LUNGE—Gabi Lozoya digs the ball during Tuesday’s practice for the Westlake High girls’ volleyball team.

By Gilberto Manzano

gmanzano@theacorn.com

It won’t be a one-team race for the high school girls’ volleyball Marmonte League title this season.

Agoura and Westlake have high hopes to dethrone defending champion Thousand Oaks, which has won three straight league crowns.

The Lancers remain preseason favorites to make it a four-peat with a talented returning nucleus.

Newbury Park, Simi Valley and Moorpark will be in the hunt for playoff spots.

Calabasas and Royal are headed in the right direction with improving teams.

Here’s a closer look at the teams in the Marmonte:

AGOURA CHARGERS

The Chargers are gearing up for what they hope will be a special season.

Agoura returns nearly every starter from last season, including four-year varsity standouts Jackie Severson and Katie Soto.

Severson is one of the top setters in the league. Sato is an explosive outside hitter.

“It starts and ends with them,” Agoura head coach Brock Redmond said about his two captains. “They have lots of experience and are ready to go out with a bang.”

Meg Graham and Kaylin Mouchawar are talented 6-foot-1 middle blockers.

Redmond considers his seniors to be the best middle blocking duo in the area.

“ We have a very talented team,” Redmond said. “ We consider T.O. to be the favorite to win the league, but we also have a great chance. This is our time to finally step up and make some noise.”

Hayley Bosworth, a senior libero, gets the offense going with her crisp passes.

Outside hitters Elyssa Woods, a junior, and sophomore Hannah Holmes are top-notch newcomers.

CALABASAS COYOTES

The Coyotes continue to improve.

Calabasas head coach Matt Simons said he expects his squad to compete and fight to the finish against every team in the rugged Marmonte.

“ We’re in a very tough league,” the second-year coach said. “All we want to do is keep improving. Facing these tough teams helps us get better. No one will feel sorry for us and take it easy on us. We need to play hard in every match.”

Seniors Sydney Cupingood, a setter, and Rayno Kivo, a libero, are second-year captains.

Outside hitter Amneh Yacoub, a senior outside hitter, is an explosive player with a killer swing.

Junior outside hitter Arielle Fromer pushes the team in practice to get better, according to Simons.

Senior middle blocker Dorothy Ballowe and senior defensive specialist Shaine Lutsky play important roles.

Calabasas wants to generate at least a handful of league wins after going 0-14 last season.

“We try not to think about the past,” Simons said. “The girls on the team believe they can win. They know they can compete with anyone.”

WESTLAKE WARRIORS

The Warriors are tired of being bridesmaids.

Westlake wants a ring or, in this case, a Marmonte championship.

“ We’ve been close,” said Ernest Rittenhouse, Westlake’s 10th-year head coach. “It’s not going to be easy if we want to win league. I expect Thousand Oaks, Agoura, Moorpark to have good teams.”

The Warriors have finished second or third in the league standings the past three years. Westlake finished with an overall record of 26-7 last season and placed second in league with a 12-2 record.

Westlake returns arguably the best outside hitter in Ventura County in senior Julia Mannisto.

Last year, Mannisto set a new single-season school record in kills with 482. She shattered her previous mark of 357 kills in 2011.

Senior middle blocker Sydney Pugh is another top-notch returner for the Warriors.

She broke the school’s singleseason record for blocks with 103 last season.

Westlake added reinforcements with the Anselmo sisters, Mary and Natalie.

Mary, a senior libero, and Natalie, a sophomore outside hitter, transferred from La Reina.

THOUSAND OAKS LANCERS

The Lancers have built a dynasty.

Thousand Oaks has won the league title seven times in eight years.

If that’s not impressive enough, the Lancers own a 42-match winning streak against league competition that goes back to the 2010 season.

“The streak is nice,” said James Park, who took over as head coach at TOHS in 2006. “It’s a reminder of how well you’ve played.

“It would be nice to keep it going, but our priority is to win league and go far in playoffs.”

Kendall Frisoli and Kaitlynn Grim have graduated, but the team returns a talented core.

Seniors Jane Lamp and Amanda Lichtl, and juniors Kristin Kingi and Danni Ryan will carry the Lancers this fall.

Kingi, a three-year varsity standout, is a talented outside hitter with a high volleyball IQ.

Lamp, a team captain, is an exceptional passer at libero.

Thousand Oaks’ front line received a boost with the addition of 6-foot-5 middle blocker Laura Leap, a senior transfer from La Reina. Leap will miss the first month of the season due to CIFSouthern Section transfer rules.

NEWBURY PARK PANTHERS

Newbury Park could be the surprise team of the league.

The Panthers will rely on setters

Lauren Benson, a senior, and junior Skyler Curry to guide them to a potential playoff run.

“Both setters have been through the wars,” said Chip Tarleton, who’s entering his fifth season as Newbury Park’s head coach. “Their experience will be big for us. If we have any chance at winning league or making the playoffs, they have to play great volleyball.”

Kayla Overbeck is the Panthers’ most improved player.

Overbeck, a sophomore defensive specialist, is a star forward on Newbury Park’s girls’ basketball team.

“Kayla’s top sport is basketball, but she wants to get better at volleyball,” Tarleton said. “She can play volleyball and basketball in college if she wants.

“She came to me for help. She really wants to get better at volleyball.”

Junior Danielle Kirk and senior Elizabeth Comeaux provide experience at outside hitter and middle blocker, respectively.

Celeste Rains, a junior, is expected to contribute as a defensive specialist.

MOORPARK MUSKETEERS

The Musketeers want to make their third consecutive trip to the playoffs.

Brendan Hanson, who enters his 10th year as Moorpark’s head coach, will field one of his youngest teams.

Mariah Bell, an outside hitter, and Madison Schrock, an opposite hitter, are the only seniors. Bell is one of the area’s most talented and dynamic players.

“This is the fewest seniors I’ve ever had,” Hanson said. “ We’ll rely a lot on Mariah and Madison. Mariah has been big for us the last three years. Madison is ready to step up.”

Casey Myszcowski, a junior, is a returning starter at middle blocker.

Junior Elizabeth Mason replaces Brooke Rudebusch, who graduated in the spring, at setter.

“She’s ready to break out,” Hanson said about Mason. “She learned a lot from Brooke. She’s up for the challenge.”

Freshman Lexi Nardoni, who can play at opposite and outside hitter, is an up-and-coming player.

Royal Highlanders

The Highlanders are a team on the rise.

Erin Scuoler, Emily Sharpe and Olivia Steinfeld are the Royal team captains. The seniors lead a young but talented crew.

“Normally I would be concerned with a young team, but we have great leaders” said Kris Gullatt, a second-year head coach at Royal. “Our three captains will help the younger players grow.”

Scuoler is an explosive outside hitter with experience after starting for half the season a year ago. Gullatt said he considers Scuoler one of the top outside hitters in the league.

Sharpe, an outside hitter, and Steinfeld, a libero, are first-year starters with plenty of upside.

Sophomore middle blocker Rachel Reed moved up from junior varsity to the varsity team this season.

Reed is a tough blocker and an aggressive hitter.

The Highlanders want to bounce back from last fall’s 4-10 league record.

“ They’re a hardworking bunch,” Gullatt said. “They want to win. If they continue to work hard they’ll start seeing some results.”

SIMI VALLEY PIONEERS

The Pioneers will have many new faces spiking, digging and setting on the court this season.

Simi Valley head coach Jason Sherman said he is optimistic his young team can return to the postseason.

“We’re always in the thick of things, and this year is no different,” said the fifth-year coach, whose squad tied for fourth in league last season.

“We’re very young, but our players are ready to step up. We have a good group of returners that will guide the newcomers.”

Senior Jenny Martin does it all for the Pioneers. She can line up at setter, libero or defensive specialist.

Marlie Thompson, a senior libero, boosts Simi Valley with her energy.

Senior setter Lauren Pogue is a solid decision-maker who delivers perfect passes.

Pogue’s younger sister, Jordan, is a standout sophomore outside hitter. Jordan Pogue has experience at setter.

“Jordan is a great a setter and is OK with letting her sister play that position,” Sherman said. “She’s has done everything we’ve asked her to do. She has stepped up.”


 

 

Mary Anselmo

Mary Anselmo

Natalie Anselmo

Natalie Anselmo

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