This year’s edition boasts a strong defense led by outside
hitters Jessica Frusetta and Brittany Hogeman, libero Carly Johnson
and middle blocker Jessica Stofer, as well as a potent offense
anchored by experienced junior Alex Flores.
SAN JUAN BAUTISTA
Chris Wardlaw was itching to get back, and it appears he picked the right year to return.
After taking last year off to be with his wife who had delivered a baby prior to the season, Wardlaw’s time with the Hawks last fall was limited. He became the team’s advisor, conducting practices once a week and holding team lunches on game days, but didn’t have much contact, otherwise.
Sitting out a second straight year wasn’t going to happen for Wardlaw, though, who enters his 10th season of coaching varsity volleyball at the San Juan Bautista school.
“I would have had eight angry seniors,” he said.
The Hawks head coach knew exactly what he had entering this year, too. Fifteen girls — eight seniors and 10 returners, including much of last season’s starting rotation.
And he doesn’t hold back when discussing how good they can be, either.
“I knew this team was gonna be the big one — the big year,” Wardlaw said. “I knew they were gonna be probably the most talented team I’ve ever coached.
“Relative to the rest of the league, I don’t know where we’re at. But relative to the rest of the teams I’ve coached, they have more height, more experience.”
High praise for a coach who assisted the Hawks to their first and only Central Coast Section Division V title in 2002.
“Most of the starters I have now are returning starters as well,” Wardlaw added.
This year’s edition boasts a strong defense led by outside hitters Jessica Frusetta and Brittany Hogeman, libero Carly Johnson and middle blocker Jessica Stofer, as well as a potent offense anchored by experienced junior Alex Flores.
A three-year varsity member, the 5-foot-10 Flores was second on the team in kills as a freshman, and is currently second on the Hawks in the same category behind teammate opposite Camille Merz.
“I think compared to last year, we’re mentally much more into it and our skill came up a lot since last year as well,” said Flores, who leads the team in service percentage, aces and assists within Anzar’s 6-2 offense. Front-line setter Sydnee Masuen is second on the team in assists.
“I think we have the capacity to win our league, or at least get to CCS, for sure,” Flores added.
Last year’s youthful Anzar squad, which graduated only two players, fell just short of advancing to the postseason. The Hawks went 11-14 overall, 6-8 in the Mission Trail Athletic League, and as a result were two wins shy of postseason eligibility.
Toward the end of the 2009 season, Flores said the team may have been thinking too much about making the playoffs instead of doing what it needed to do to in order to reach the postseason. Having experienced that, though, will push the Hawks this season, she said.
“We can’t be scared at all,” Flores added. “We have to get our guaranteed spot.”
Anzar did wrap up the regular season on a strong note last year when it earned a five-set win against playoff-bound Santa Catalina, and have since carried that play into this season where it carries a 4-2 overall record through non-conference play.
The Hawks will host Pacific Grove on Tuesday to open the MTAL, a league in which Carmel, Santa Catalina and King City are expected to be top dogs.
“We should be there with anybody,” Wardlaw said. “It’s just a matter of how much of that talent we can access.”
With a feeling that both the offense and defense will be solid, Wardlaw said it’s the parts in between — the passing, specifically — that will need to improve. The team has normally had just two offensive options in years past, but this year, with Stofer, Flores, Merz, Hogeman and Nicole Seymour, among others (outside hitters Viri Rios and Mali Gonzalez are expected to contribute as well when they return from injury), Wardlaw is confident Anzar’s attack will be potent from several different angles.
The decision to come back was a no-brainer, after all.
“There’s no girl in the front row who can’t hit the ball hard,” he said. “We have a high-octane offense, but it’s a matter of accessing it.
“If we can get a good pass and a good set, the offense should know what to do with it.”
Notes:
Jennifer Daughenbaugh coached the Hawks last season, and remains on the Anzar coaching staff as an assistant. Meanwhile, Luis Espinoza, who last coached the San Benito High boys volleyball team to the Tri-County Athletic League title in 2008-09, is coaching the Anzar junior varsity.
