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Warrior spikers competitive in scrimmages

Since no scores were kept at a pair of five-way boys volleyball scrimmages in which Fallbrook High School’s varsity team participated, the Warriors didn’t officially defeat any of the quality teams they faced – although they didn’t suffer any losses. Their performance against some of the county’s top teams March 1 at Rancho Bernardo and March 5 at Poway, however, indicated that Fallbrook could be competitive against high-level opposition this year.

“We actually look pretty good,” said Fallbrook coach Tom Saunders. “Looks like we could have a very good season.”

There are some uncertainties about the Warriors. Setter Erick Sampson rolled his ankle during the March 1 scrimmage, and his status during at least the early part of the season is uncertain. Sampson, a senior, was the team’s Most Valuable Player in 2006 and was named to the Avocado League second team.

Graduation will cost Fallbrook the services of outside hitter Chet Button, who was also named to the Avocado League second team last year. Ryan Sandberg and Stephen Roals were also seniors in 2006.

The Warriors return most of their starters from 2006, including Alex Samuelson, who was named to the Avocado League first team last year. Samuelson, who is currently a senior, played outside hitter last year but has been moved to the opposite hitter position for 2007.

Samuelson’s position change relegates 2006 starting opposite hitter Kevin Anderson, who is also a senior, to the bench, but it allows 6’6” Taylor Hughes to become a starting outside hitter. Hughes, a junior, played baseball in 2005 and 2006.

The other starting outside hitter will be senior Alderez Siaton, who also started in 2006.

The two starting middle blockers will be Marcus Taylor and Antoine Wilson. Taylor was a starter in 2006 while Wilson was injured during the pre-season and did not return to play until the final week of the regular season.

Until Sampson returns to full strength, junior Kyle Chaisson will be the starting setter. Chaisson is a transfer from Northern California, and when Sampson sets Chaisson is expected to be the Warriors’ libero.

“We’re going to be leaps and bounds ahead of where we were last year. We’ve really come a long way,” Saunders said.

Three of last year’s junior varsity players have been promoted to the varsity squad: setter Bryce Dornan and middle blockers Matt Siracusa and Andrew Valencia. All three of those players are juniors.

Two seniors on the squad did not play volleyball in 2006. Defensive specialist Aaron White is new to volleyball while outside hitter Cory Clark played at La Costa Canyon High School as a freshman and sophomore but did not play as a junior.

The 13-player varsity roster allows for full-strength intrasquad practice. “It’s been a huge key,” Saunders said. “We were able to work out across the net from each other.”

In 2006 the Warriors often practiced with eight players, which did not allow for six-on-six situations until Fallbrook faced opposing teams.

Fallbrook finished the 2006 season with a 13-17 overall record, including a loss to Granite Hills in the first round of the CIF Division I playoffs. The Warriors had been given the tenth seed in the playoffs. Fallbrook’s 4-4 Avocado League record placed third among five teams in the conference standings.

Vista and Rancho Buena Vista do not field boys volleyball teams, so San Pasqual is moved from the Valley League (which has seven teams in most sports) to the Avocado League for boys volleyball and joins Fallbrook, Carlsbad, Oceanside, and El Camino. While league matches are normally Wednesdays and Fridays, the dates of some Avocado League contests were juggled so that teams could participate in tournaments played on Friday and Saturday.

The Warriors begin league play March 16 at El Camino; that match was moved up from a later-scheduled date in order to accommodate tournament play. “They agreed to play us early,” Saunders said.

The Warriors’ first home match is March 21 against Valley Center, and another rescheduled league match gives the Warriors a Monday home date March 26 against San Pasqual. The Warriors play at Ramona March 28 before their first tournament of the season, the March 30-31 San Pasqual Tournament. Fallbrook will also participate in the Scripps Ranch Tournament April 20-21.

“We’re a much more mature team this year,” Saunders said. “Our expectations are a lot higher.”

 

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