Elco clinches Ocean title

Entering into the season, Elco hadn’t won a league title since 1979. So, historically speaking, dominance and El Camino haven’t gone hand-in-hand.

That’s all changed in 2019, though, as the Colts went “Boom!” early and often Thursday at Westmoor, sweeping their way to a 25-20, 25-17, 25-17 victory. In doing so, El Camino (11-0 PAL Ocean, 14-0 overall) clinched no worse than a share of the PAL Ocean Division title. Still undefeated through league play, Madayag’s Colts need win just one of their final three matches to win the league title outright.

“We knew this was going to be our season,” Madayag said. “They finally came together chemistry wise. … Last season we almost had it, it just wasn’t there yet. This year they matured more.”

Madayag has a longtime connection with a majority of his players, who he coaches year-round, including on the club circuit with the SF Tremors. The high-energy second-year head coach has built an EC program into a success in a hurry, leading them to a third-place finish in the Ocean Division last year with their first trip to the Central Coast Section playoffs since 2002.

This season, however, the expectation was to take it to the next level.

“We’re very happy and confident,” said Anivaolelagi Moors-Tafilele, a first-year varsity sophomore. “For practice, we always push ourselves to do our best. Win or lose, we always want to do our best.”

Going up against a scrappy Westmoor team Thursday, El Camino ran its attack through the middle in the early going. The Colts don’t have a prototypical middle, as junior Liliena Otuhiva is just 5-9, and Moors-Tafilele is a mere 5-5. 

That didn’t stop the tandem from combining for six kills in Game 1. Otuhiva went on to total six kills and four blocks in the match, while Moors-Tafilele went for seven kills, including four in the opening set.

“We’ve always known since we were kids everyone is going to be bigger than us,” Madayag said. “So, we play like it’s a schoolyard game — a lot of spirit and a lot of heart.”

Pivoting off their Game 1 win, the Colts moved the attack to the outside for senior Amanda Velasco, who racked up a match-high 11 kills, including six in the second set. Velasco’s defense didn’t disappoint either. Late in the second set, she shifted from sideline to sideline on consecutive Westmoor attempts for two impressive back-row digs before the Colts put it away for a 22-16 lead.

Otuhiva later tooled the block through the middle to force set point. Velasco finished with a touch off the left pin to finish off the Game 2 win.

In Game 3, the Colts faced their biggest deficit of the match when Westmoor fourth-year varsity senior Lydia Lee went on a short service run, including the Rams’ only ace of the match, to build a 15-12 lead. Westmoor was called for a double-touch on the following point, however, and El Camino seized on the miscue to go on their biggest run.

Along the way, Otuhiva scored a block to give the Colts a 16-15 lead. El Camino ultimately went on a 7-0 run and never trailed again.

Through 11 league wins, the Colts have dropped just three sets and have yet to go to five sets in Ocean play.

“I like going home early,” Moors-Tafilele said.

Westmoor (5-6, 11-15) was led by its two most experienced players. Senior outside hitter Amanda Lao totaled nine kills, while Lee had eight. Both are fourth-year varsity players. The Rams also have two third-year seniors on roster in opposites Kathy Lin and Evelyn Wong.

Rex Mauga-Head, the longest tenured head coach in the Peninsula Athletic League, has been running Westmoor’s varsity program since 2001. This year he has seen his team depleted by injury like no other. As he went down the list, it was the same ailment — knee injury followed by knee injury.

Freshman setter Melanie Chen made her first varsity start Thursday. She took over for another freshman setter, Kiara Salomon, who has been on the shelf for two weeks.

“Next man up,” Mauga-Head said. “… I’m just glad everybody adjusted. They’re not position players anymore, they’re volleyball players.”

Westmoor committed 22 unforced errors in the match, compared to that of 27 by El Camino. Still, the Rams had trouble staying in system, something that has been a epidemic all season long.

“Pretty much it’s been out of system,” Mauga-Head said. “You know? Scrappy Westmoor volleyball.”