Senior Bulldogs ‘started it all’ for program
MORGAN HILL — Before Thursday’s season-ending volleyball match against Branham, Sobrato Athletic Director Kevin Miller paid tribute to seven fourth-year Bulldogs; six of whom would play their final game in Sobrato Gym.
Anything less would have been unfitting for Senior Night. Along with his wife, Rosemary, Kevin Miller coached Sobrato’s boys volleyball team from its inception four years ago. They both stepped down at the end of last season.
“This group started it all for this program,” Kevin Miller said. “It started as a JV team, then varsity, then JV and varsity. This year, they were in the top league. They’ve been a very special group of guys.”
In a perfect world, that group would have gone out with a victory. But without Jared Mammen, their senior kills leader who missed the game because of sickness, the Bulldogs were toothless against the oversized Bruins.
Branham surrendered only 12 kills during a three-game sweep, 25-10, 25-20, 25-20, that left Sobrato winless in Mount Hamilton Division play.
“The goal was to get a win in our last game, but it didn’t work out. I don’t know what to say,” senior Sims Jose said. “It’s been a good four years. When we came in four years ago, we basically made the program. This doesn’t take anything away.”
After a rough opener, Sobrato was able to battle in the final two games behind its defense. Middle blocker Vincent Alfonseca collected the first of his two stuff blocks in Game 2, and defensive specialist Jason Binn added three digs for the Bulldogs (0-10 league), who led by as many as four.
“We just went out and gave it our all,” Sobrato libero Ali Aryanpour, who totaled a game-high seven digs and an ace, said. “We’ve improved game after game this year.
“Tonight, we talked in up on the floor and were able to make some plays on defense when we could.”
In a rare twist, setter Taylor Schilling led the Bulldogs in assists (7) and kills (3). The sophomore connected with Alfonseca for a pair of kills in the third game, as Sobrato overcame a 7-2 deficit to pull even 9-9. Branham (5-5) inched away with mini scoring runs of three and four points.
“Even though we lost this one, and even though we didn’t have Jared, I thought we played well,” Sobrato first-year coach Laura Coleman said. “Our defense was better; our blocking is finally coming around. We’re not getting tooled by the big hitters as much. Earlier this season, most of the kills we gave up were off bad blocks we made. So they’ve improved a heck of a lot.”
The Bulldogs cut the Bruins’ lead to 16-14 with a stuff block and tip kill by middle blocker Robert Bowen on back-to-back plays. Branham scored eight of the next 10 points to make it game point, 24-16, but Sobrato answered with a four-point run fueled with kills by Schilling and Alfonseca.
“Vince has not played middle for me, and I put him at middle the last few games and he’s done awesome,” Coleman said. “He’ll be one of the guys coming back next year. It’s going to be an even better team I think.”
For the Bruins, 6-foot-6 outside hitter/setter Taylor Avirill had 17 kills, three aces, two digs and two blocks, and Ryan Holmes finished with seven kills, five assists, two aces and two digs.
NOTE: Branham received a No. 7 seed in the CIF-Central Coast Section Division II Playoffs and opened with a four-set victory over No. 10 San Lorenzo Valley. The Bruins play No. 2 Willow Glen in the quarterfinals today.
