Fiery El Camino runs table in PAL Ocean

Elco has embraced the limelight, growing not just as a winning program, but as a fun-loving group whose bench has as many chants and songs in its repertoire as the players on the court have plays in their playbook. This wasn’t evident Tuesday as the Colts didn’t want to be bad guests on South City’s Senior Day, but otherwise the 12-woman roster has been rocking and rolling all season. 

“I think it really comes from the chemistry of our team and how we’ve all played together for a while now,” said Bella Madayag, a senior standout and coach Apollo Mayadag’s daughter. “So, we kind of know one another’s dynamic. We’ve been cheering for a long time, and we like to consider ourselves like another set of cheerleaders but like a volleyball team too.”

The Colts’ signature stomping and clapping is all quite choreographed, and the hollering sings with quite some musicality. Bella Madayag estimated the team has between 15 and 20 cheers in its arsenal, quite enough to keep the sidelines sounding fresh and energized.

Sophomore middle hitter Anivaolelagi Moors-Tafilele is a major catalyst in Elco’s rock-and-rolling road show. Over the summer, Moors-Tafilele spent some time practicing with the El Camino cheerleading squad, but chose volleyball over cheer, Bella Madayag said.

As for who has the best rhythm on the team?

“I think they all do,” Apollo Madayag said. “They try to figure out how to stomp and clap, and come up with news songs and new chants that I don’t even know.”

Plenty of El Camino’s energy comes from the top, as Apollo Madayag is as fiery as any one of his players. In fact, even when the Colts’ sideline is at its loudest, Apollo Madayag’s instructions easily cut through the ruckus to easily be understood.

“I think that was my No. 1 rule coming from last year was keeping that energy high,” Apollo Madayag said. “We take that from the get-go, from our practices to our game day. The minute that first whistle blows, that energy is high. And we just take it all the way to the end till we can finish it.”

El Camino’s fourth-year varsity setter Jhianna Santos personified that energy Tuesday, especially from the service line. Santos recorded a match-high six aces, with four of those coming on one service run in Game 1, including three in a row.

“She can control her serves, definitely,” Apollo Madayag said. “She has a wicked float … she has a nice little top spin. But then her placements are usually about 80%. … I would say this was her best run so far.”

Santos knew Apollo Madayag from the club volleyball circuit before she even arrived at El Camino. She said she was always impressed by his enthusiasm for the game. Now, the coach’s energy and the team’s musicality have the program in perfect harmony.

“They work hand in hand,” Santos said. “If we’re on fire, he’s loud. And then we all just come together, and we’re all just functioning as one.”

When Santos debuted with the varsity team in 2016, the thought of ever qualifying for the CCS playoffs seemed like a pipe dream. The Colts, overall, won just two matches that season.

“We didn’t know we would get this big to [go to] CCS,” Santos said. “But it happened. And we were all just happy about it, so we just kept working.”

Last year, El Camino qualified for the CCS Division III playoffs, the first time the program advanced to the postseason since 2002. The Colts earned a first-round victory in five sets on the road at Saratoga, then fell in the quarterfinals to top-seed Soquel.

Apollo Madayag said he’s hopeful the team, by virtue of winning a league championship, will earn a first-round bye this season. The CCS seeding meeting is scheduled for Thursday with postseason play opening Saturday.

“I’m really excited,” Bella Madayag said. “A little nervous but mostly excited. We’re going to cheer our butt off that game too but, yeah, just try our best.”