SD Prep Sports

SD Prep Sports: Boys Volleyball

'Good year' leads Trojans to Division 3 semifinals

By Phillip Brents

Posted May 22, 2003

The Castle Park High boys volleyball team has, in the words of coach Tony Fajardo, been having “a pretty good year.”

The Trojans won their second consecutive South Bay League championship with an 11-0 record — the first undefeated league mark in school history.

Castle Park advanced to last year’s San Diego Section Division II semifinals before losing to eventual champion Mira Mesa. The Trojans matched that performance — and are seeking more — after sweeping league rival Mar Vista 15-11, 15-13, 15-13 in Wednesday’s Division III quarterfinals.

Fourth-seeded Castle Park takes a 22-10 overall record into Friday’s semifinal round against top-seeded University of San Diego High School (18-13) at Coronado High School. Start time is 5 p.m.

Should the Trojans advance, the division championship match is Wednesday, May 28 at Westview High School. Tip-off is 5 p.m.

Visiting Mar Vista (8-3 in league) finished 19-12 overall.

Castle Park lost three seniors from last year’s 16-9 team but returned five starters to give Fajardo, who coaches the team along with Janis Redmond, a solid foundation on which to build and take care of unfinished business from the previous season.
Top returning players include senior outside hitters Matthew Aquino and Peter Santos, senior middle blocker Je’von Meyers, senior setter Mark Street and senior dig specialists A.J. Tolentino and Albert de la Torre.

A returning First Team All-Metro Conference and All-CIF pick, Aquino had 14 kills and 11 digs in Wednesday’s playoff win while Meyers — one of the hardest hitters in the section at the net — had 13 kills, three blocks and six digs. Santos contributed 10 kills, one block and 13 digs while Street had seven blocks, two digs and 37 assists. Senior Albert DeLaTorre had 10 digs.

Both Santos and Meyers earned First Team All-Metro and Second Team All-CIF honors last season.

Aquino and Meyers have been invited to play in the San Diego County Senior All-Star Game on June 6.

Street earned Second Team All-Metro selection while Tolentino was an All-Metro honorable mention last season.

A club player, Aquino is starting to spark some interest as far as college recruiting is concerned while Meyers will attend Northern Arizona on a football scholarship next fall after receiving recognition as a Frist Team All-South Bay League running back last fall. He is a multi-sport athlete, having played roller hockey his junior year besides football and volleyball. Meyers ranks among the section’s hardest hitters with a tremendous vertical leap at the net.

Top newcomers on the team included senior opposite hitter Alex Guerrero (6-0, 170) and juniors Anthony Johns, a 6-0, 165-pound middle blocker, Matt Mount, a 5-8, 155-pound dig specialist and Demarco Sampson, a 6-4, 180-pound middle blocker.

Sampson is a cross-over athlete, having earned all-league first team status as a defensive back during the football season.

Guerrero was expected to strengthen the team’s offense and defense on the right side at the net while Johns' athleticism and tenacity helped the Trojans in the middle at the net.

According to the coaching staff, the team’s strengths lie in its senior leadership and experience, post-season experience, versatility, academic achievement, depth in key positions and overall athleticism. The team has striven to improve its passing without a “true” returning setter -- and excelled in the process.