The Senior Night celebration will be extra special Thursday at
Sobrato High School. On top of being honored before their final
regular-season home match, the seniors on coach Todd Anderson’s
boys volleyball team will be recognized for reasons beyond
tradition after guiding their program to its first league
championship and playoff berth Tuesday with a 25-22, 25-20, 19-25,
25-22 victory at Branham
SAN JOSE
Two months after leading the Bulldogs to their first league championship in boys soccer, Miles Mammen has enjoyed an equally historic regular season with Sobrato boys volleyball.
The decorated senior notices similarities between the two teams – and not just the imaginary banners that will hang in the Sobrato gymnasium next year.
“They’re both just good all around,” said Mammen, the 2011 Santa Teresa Division soccer MVP who has been a welcome re-addition to the volleyball team this spring. “Everyone’s working together and playing their best. We’re a good group.”
They have the accolades to prove it.
A season after finishing 2-12, not to mention a 1-13 showing in 2009, the Bulldogs became outright champions of the Santa Teresa Division on Tuesday with a 25-22, 25-20, 19-25, 25-22 victory at Branham High School. The Bulldogs clinched both their first conference title and first invite to the Central Coast Section playoffs, and they owed much of it to a dedicated group of seniors who didn’t know when to quit.
“The seniors have meant a tremendous amount,” second-year SHS coach Todd Anderson said. “It’s been a tremendous year for the seniors and our team.”
Estevan Santiago and Mammen helped Sobrato complete the ultimate turnaround with Santiago totaling six kills and 11 assists, and Mammen collecting seven kills, four digs and three aces.
Sergio Mihai had four kills and two blocks, and Ethan Lines added a pair of kills and five digs for the Bulldogs (14-9, 8-1), who earned a sixth straight win.
Afterward they celebrated on the floor with a decent-sized bunch of SHS fans.
“Honestly, it’s kind indescribable to be at this point,” Santiago said. “It was my goal freshman year to see us win a league title someday, and I’m glad we finally made it happen. It’s cool to see how much you can do when you work hard.”
Playoff brackets will be released Saturday with first-round games scheduled for Tuesday. The Bulldogs will likely play in the CCS Division II tournament.
“We’re going to push hard like we always do,” Anderson said.
Sobrato hosted its final regular-season home game Thursday against Prospect. Beforehand the Bulldogs honored their senior class of Santiago, Lines, Mihai, Mammen and Cavan Howay.
It has been an especially memorable season for Mammen. He played opposte his talented freshman brother, Drew, just as he did with his older brother, Jared (2008 Santa Teresa Division MVP, 2009 first-team all-Mount Hamilton Division), during his freshman and sophomore years.
Drew stepped as well Tuesday with five kills, 11 assists, three digs and two aces.
“He’s already better than me,” Mammen said. “It’s been awesome being able to do all this.”
