Plenty of competition for Ocean volleyball title

The proof is in the pudding. Woodside already beat Half Moon Bay and took Aragon to five games, while Sequoia pounded Burlingame earlier in the season in three straight.

All of which proves for this season, at least, that a number of Ocean squads are just as playoff-worthy as their Bay brethren. The Ocean season starts today with Capuchino at Westmoor, El Camino at South San Francisco, Hillsdale at Sequoia and Jefferson at Mills. Woodside has a bye. Here is a rundown of the local flavor. (Editor's note: Repeated messages left for Mills coach Polly Wiard and Capuchino coach Charles Chan were not returned).

Sequoia

The Cherokees are back in the Ocean Division and ready to make another big splash. They reached the Central Coast Section playoffs in the late 1990s and a division title is certainly within their grasp. Coach Jane Slater fields a talented team that has been dogged by its inability to put it all together the last couple of years.

That could all change this year, with senior outside hitter Mercedes Marchbanks leading the way. A tremendous basketball and track athlete, Marchbanks is equally powerful in volleyball. Her vertical leap is off the charts and her athleticism makes her a threat to hammer down kills from anywhere on the court. A hard worker, the senior is equally adept on defense, diving for digs and possessing tremendous court sense to be in the right position at all times.

Sequoia will also rely on sophomore setter Claire Louie, Alexis Fletcher, Kelly Burke, Molly Lenahan, Heather Hoeft and Jenna Jerkovic, a 6-0 middle blocker who provides a force at net. Slater said Louie has great court sense and keeps on improving, while defensive specialists Lenahan and Jackie Leannah provide the Cherokees with solid back row play.

The Cherokees have been hurt in recent years with a lack of a transition game. Translation: They have a tough time stringing together a pass, bump and spike on a consistent basis. If that changes, watch out. Sequoia has enough weapons to be considered the favorite for the Ocean title.

"The talent is more spread out on this year's team and I think that's going to help," Slater said. "The last couple of years we might've been too reliant on Cassie (Ligh) to bail us out of situations. Players have to take a more assertive role and I think they're ready."

Woodside

After finishing second last season and third in 2002, the Wildcats hope to take that next and final step to an Ocean Division championship. The pieces are in place for them to make that quantum leap. Player of the Year candidate Diana Douglas, a 5-9 middle hitter who can simply do it all, leads Woodside's potent attack.

Douglas has added a jump serve to her repertoire, explodes like a rocket when going up for kills and is a defensive wizard. She has a solid supporting cast, led by the likes of Mia Ortiz, Angie Pomi, Joana Ingebritsen, Kristin Hipsher, Janelle Bortolazzo, Courtney Johnson, Colleen Chan and Erica Bigler.

Ortiz and Douglas give the team a lethal hitting combination, while Ingebritsen and Hipsher are solid back row players who have the ability to attack from beyond the 10-foot line. Johnson and Bigler will share right side blocking duties, one of Woodside's strong points and a major reason why it's a trendy pick to win the division.

Coach Dennis Baldini said the key to the team's season is the health of Bortolazzo, a junior middle blocker that provides Woodside with a net presence. Last year she missed the second half of the league season after tearing her anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). Pomi, one of the more consistent setters in the division, has improved her game from a year ago.

"The one thing you must have to win is a solid setter," Baldini said. "We have that in Angie. But the area we must improve on is our defense. Sometimes we're slow afoot and teams can exploit that."

Hillsdale

After last year's 1-15 division finish, Knights coach Michael Bradley is banking on his young talent to grow up in a hurry. Hillsdale has been buoyed by the transfer of setter Mihoko Inoye, a foreign exchange student from Japan who enrolled at the San Mateo school just a couple of weeks ago.

"We had this student show up one day and she (Inoye) was practicing first with the [junior varsity] team," Bradley said. "The JV coach comes up to me and says, 'Hey, look at this great player I got.' I was like, 'Sorry coach. She's going to be on the varsity.'"

Inoye will team with Alyssa Frediani to give the team a potent 1-2 punch at setter. The Knights have a solid nucleus of talent at every grade level. They field three seniors, two juniors, six sophomores and four freshman. Hillsdale will try to revolve its hitting attack around Emily Thomas, a sensational sophomore outside hitter who can bring the hammer down.

"If we can get her going, we'll be in good shape," Bradley said. "The ball fires off her hands and the more we can get it to her, the better."

Laura Patton, Doraly Espinoza, Vanessa Cirelli and Jennifer Serrata will be looked upon for their solid passing and defense, while Brittany Wrightson, Bridget Majoulet, Nicole Crump and Chelsea Mijares all have the capability to put down some kills at outside hitter. Bradley will rely on the likes of Shannon Murphy, Stephanie Bautista and Toni Gunion for their all-around skills. Junior middle blocker Lauren Rosaia can make the biggest impact with her strong presence at net. Rosaia led the team in blocks last year and will be counted upon again to dominate up front.