After the Covid-19 pandemic, the Live Oak boys volleyball program restarted but had minimal success on the court. In the spring of 2022, the Acorns were just 1-11 overall, 1-8 in league.
The next two years brought some progress but now the Acorns have really put it together. From the cellar to the penthouse. It has been an incredible 2025 to this point, as Live Oak is 17-6 overall and in first place at 12-0 in the Blossom Valley Athletic League, West Valley Division.
“Three years ago, I was a freshman on the team and we won just one match,” said senior libero Ignacio Macias, after Live Oak beat Overfelt April 10. “We have come so far. Then we won seven, then eight, and this year, we have won 13 with eight matches left.”
In the past two weeks, four more victories have increased the total to 17. In league play, the Acorns have a two-game lead over Mt. Pleasant, with four league matches remaining.
“The one thing that stands out to me is how hard they work year over year and I am so proud of them,” coach Jens Wagner said. “I’ve got quite a few seniors and juniors. They’ve played together for multiple years.”
This season, early results produced a 3-5 record but toughened the team against strong opponents. The wins came against Rancho San Juan, Kelseyville and Skyline. League play commenced and the Acorns are dominating. The 12-0 mark includes nine sweeps.
“I have two of the best in the league,” Wagner said. “Joel Nogueda is the best setter in the league. And Gabe (Castellanos) is one of the two or three best outside hitters. He does everything, from blocking and defense to hitting and tipping.”
The basketball backcourt of Devon DeHaro and Ethan Estrada Sanchez are a formidable pair of middle blockers. Other contributions in the middle come from Luke Miller, also a Live Oak basketball player, and Cruz Pate.
The power at the net beyond Castellanos features the strong attack of Tobyn Ngen, along with contributions from sophomore Cash Parker and junior Isaiah Flores.
“I try to establish a strong middle attack,” Nogueda said. “Then it builds up my outside hitters and they don’t know where to block us. I love my middles.”
Castellanos knows from where it all starts—in the back.
“The key to our success, 1,000%, is defense and passing,” Castellanos said.
That comes with the athletic play and team leadership of Macias. The cool senior digs and passes with precision. That enables Nogueda to utilize various options for attacks. Other teams in the league cannot match the pair of Macias and Nogueda.
At the Overfelt gym, Live Oak pulled ahead early in the first set and fended off the Royals to win 25-20. However, in the second set, the home team rebounded and a late charge gave Overfelt the set and tied matters at one apiece.
Wagner tightened his rotation thereafter but primarily it was exemplary play by a focused group of Acorns that then made the difference. In the third set, DeHaro belted three early kills and Ngen smashed two more as Live Oak bolted ahead 12-3. The bench led the on-court players in the “Tobyn-ator” cheer after Ngen’s blasts.
A rattled Overfelt team made mistakes. When they hit the ball wide or long, the Acorns joked in unison, “There’s no court there.” Live Oak was in control and everyone in the gym knew it.
“We brought more energy in that third set,” Nogueda said.
The roll continued and Live Oak extended the lead to as much as 14 points. Estrada Sanchez was particularly dominant in the middle, but contributions came from all over. As is the Acorns’ usual formula for success, serve receive and digs were solid. LOHS won the set 25-13.
“We brought all our energy,” Macias said. “They are our rivals in the league and this meant a lot for us.”
Live Oak continued strong in the fourth set and the Royals had no answer. Nogueda, superb at setting all night, also contributed two big blocks in an early run.
DeHaro and Estrada Sanchez put balls down from the middle. Castellanos added three kills and Ngen rejected an overpass and whipped a bullet cross-court for another point. Two Overfelt timeouts could not stem the tide as the Acorns built a lead of 19-3 on their way to the 25-13 victory that closed the night.
“It’s a really good feeling,” Castellanos said. “We took a little while to adjust to the environment here and then we were good. We have high expectations this season. We want to qualify for CCS.”
A league title is within their sights now. That would advance them into a CCS play-in game against the second-place team from the higher Santa Teresa Division. That CCS opener would likely be May 12, with the remaining playoff games to follow quickly, concluding with CCS finals May 17.
For a program that was only 1-11 just three years ago, it is quite an accomplishment to be on the verge of a league title and potentially an unbeaten league season. Going from one win all season to as many as 21.
It is even more notable to see the success in comparison to the earlier years. From 2011-12 through the pandemic, Live Oak struggled. In the past nine years, the Acorns’ cumulative record was 21-74 and just 19-63 in league play. Only one year had more than three wins.
Live Oak won zero or just one league game in five of the nine seasons and only one year had more than three league victories.
The view today comes from the top of the BVAL West Valley Division. It bears the fruit of hard work and a dedicated staff and team. From recent struggles all the way to a 17-6 overall record, 12-0 in league play. There is more work to do this season, but a CCS play-in game is on the horizon, with perhaps more playoff games to follow.
