The Live Oak volleyball team, infused with spirit and energy, is testing itself in early season matches before heading into league play.
The Acorns are young, with seven freshmen or sophomores on a 16-person roster. Coach Jens Wagner is mixing and matching lineups to find effective combinations.
The team began the year with a loss at powerful Christopher and then dropped a five-set thriller against Independence.
Senior Maya Vazquez and freshman Leilani Gonzalez are setters. The front-line attack features seniors Brooke Ledwith and Ciana Anaya at the pins, along with Kari Guevara, with solid middle play coming from Payton Mendonca, Michaela Butsch and Peyton Goularte.
Eva Oliver and Scarlett Kondoff-Romo have been driving the defense at libero. Depth comes with Isabel Isoa Torres, Audrey Flores, Ava Cranmer-Brown, Sophia Cranmer-Brown, Annabella Ramos and Ella Beam.
Effective passing from the defense, including six-rotation players in the back row, is a big key to success.
In the season’s early games, when passing struggled, the Acorns could not get going but when things improved, the attack improved dramatically, including allowing the setters to find different attackers, especially in the middle.
This was illustrated in the opener at Christopher. The Cougars rolled 25-12 in the first set and led the second 9-3. With improved passing, the Acorns regrouped and closed within 17-15. In the third set, Live Oak led 16-12 and 19-18 before falling. The final tally was 25-12, 25-16, 25-21.
“In the third set, we played our best volleyball,” coach Wagner said. “As a unit, we passed better and we had better communication. That opened up options for our outsides and helped our middles. It all starts with the passing.”
Ledwith, with 10 kills against the Cougars, and Anaya are the top attack options. When the ball-handling improved, Live Oak diversified and Guevara put down several kills and middles Mendonca and Goularte found success.
Wagner indicated that after the second set, the players encouraged each other to raise their urgency, talk more and improve their passing.
“Our goal is to leave without any regrets,” Ledwith said. “Play with attitude and energy. Give it all you have.”
Leadership for the young team starts with the two star seniors, Ledwith and Anaya. Ledwith, whose brothers have been lacrosse stars at Live Oak, is probably the most dominant attacker. Anaya, according to coach Wagner, excels at six rotations, providing super back-row passing in addition to being a force at the net.
Season success will depend on many others, especially the underclassmen and there is one real sparkler in the freshman Gonzalez.
“We have a really good freshman setter in Leilani,” Ledwith said. “It is such a pleasure to have her on and off the court. We get a lot of energy from her.”
Vazquez provides a strong contribution at setter and the duo of her and Gonzalez allows Wagner to run a 6-2 offense, keeping three hitters in the front row at all times.
“Leilani has been a pleasant surprise,” coach Wagner said. “She has a youthful exuberance. She’s just here to play and enjoy volleyball. She’s a baller.”
The Acorns will compete in the Blossom Valley Athletic League, Almaden Valley Division. That is a “C League” and also includes Del Mar, Gunderson, Lincoln, Prospect and Willow Glen. In 2025, Live Oak finished 13-3 in league for second place.
“Our goal for the season is to at least win half of all the games, which should qualify us for CCS,” Anaya said. “And we want to win league and bond as a team.”
BVAL action begins soon. Live Oak hosts two division opponents next week, Gunderson on Sept. 15 at 7pm and Lincoln two days later, also at 7pm.
New league configurations
The Central Coast Section shifted the BVAL divisions. Instead of one “A League,” the Mt. Hamilton Division, there are two “B League” divisions, the Mt. Hamilton North and the Mt. Hamilton South.
The South six-team group will produce a lot of exciting matchups, as both Live Oak and Sobrato are there, along with neighbor Christopher. The others in the division are Lincoln, Willow Glen and Silver Creek.
Acorns rebound
The Acorns had a rough opener but rebounded strongly in week two. In the Aug. 27 season debut, homestanding North Salinas broke open the game to run away to a 41-28 victory.
The follow-up contest was back in the friendly confines of Morgan Hill and the Acorns demolished Pioneer 55-0.
Junior quarterback Justin Svoboda Jr. completed 12-of-23 passes for 103 yards in the opener and 6-of-9 for 64 yards and a score in the second game.
Uber-fierce and uber-talented running back Gage Jones, who ran for 2,207 yards and 24 touchdowns last year, is back for his senior season. Jones rambled for 145 yards and two scores on 22 rushes in the first game and followed with a 15-carry, 116-yard, three-touchdown effort in the follow-up versus the Mustangs.
Receiving dynamo Praise God Ofubuike had kickoff return touchdowns of 95 and 93 yards in the opener, along with seven catches for 48 yards.
Live Oak is back at home on Friday, Sept. 11, for a 7pm clash with the Mountain View Spartans. The Acorns then open league play at Santa Teresa on Sept. 17.
Bulldogs successful in week two
The Bulldogs opened the campaign in similar fashion to their crosstown friends, the Acorns. On Aug. 29, the Bellarmine Bells of the West Catholic Athletic League came down south and dumped Sobrato 37-6. The contest was tied 6-6 after one quarter, but the visitors pulled away after that.
Week two was a delightful turnaround for SHS as they ripped a good Branham team 50-13. That 37-point victory margin exceeds the 22-point difference that a powerful San Mateo team put on the same Bruins squad a week later.
Comparative scores will be on many people’s minds the next two weeks as the Bulldogs navigate two more non-league games. Those battles are against the two teams that Live Oak just faced.
First up is a trip to North Salinas at 7pm on Sept. 11. Then comes a jaunt to play Pioneer on Sept. 17.
