Determined to win its first league championship, Sobrato would
not be denied, not even by a tough Pioneer club equally set on
spoiling the party
MORGAN HILL
Determined to win its first league championship, Sobrato would not be denied, not even by a tough Pioneer club equally set on spoiling the party.
The Mustangs blocked several spikes Thursday. They could not stop the Bulldogs from a shot at history.
Sobrato sidestepped its toughest remaining foe behind seven kills and four stuff blocks by Scott Mercado, as the Bulldogs moved within a victory of securing the Santa Teresa Division title outright with a 25-21, 25-17, 25-20 sweep of Pioneer before the largest crowd yet this season at Sobrato High School.
“It was definitely closer than the score says — I was worried the whole time,” SHS coach Todd Anderson said. “Pioneer was blocking us really well in the beginning, but it seemed like (we) stepped up and showed that we really wanted to win that game.”
Estevan Santiago added six kills and 11 assists, and Drew Mammen had five and 13 with three aces for the Bulldogs, who avenged their only loss in conference play while extending their lead to two games over Pioneer and Prospect, Sobrato’s final opponent.
Winners of five straight, the Bulldogs (13-9, 7-1) can clinch the division championship and their first Central Coast Section playoff berth May 3 at Branham. This from a team that won two games in the Santa Teresa Division a year ago.
Pioneer (7-10, 5-3) made for an ideal warm-up to a potential postseason.
“They’re definitely the best team we’ve gone up against in league because of their blocking and quickness,” Anderson said. “The key to stopping them was moving around. We got a lot of great play out of Scott.
“It was pure determination in the long run. They really wanted to win that game and take league, and they’ve made every effort to do both.”
