Fontana boys volleyball group sweeps San Gabriel in Division 4 playoff opener

FONTANA-- Two years ago, there was no young boys volley ball program at Fontana High School.

Things altered thanks to a web petition to see if there was any interest in starting a group.

Not just was there interest, there has actually been success. Fontana opened the CIF Southern Section Division 4 playoffs with a 25-22, 25-21, 25-19 triumph over San Gabriel on Thursday afternoon.

The Steelers (25-4) will head to Santa Monica on Saturday for a second-round match versus No. 3-seeded Crossroads (26-2-1).

Fontana was undefeated in the Sunkist League this season. Steelers coach Leah Rodriguez spoke to primary Ofelia Hinojosa about a kids program, which Fontana stopped more than 20 years earlier.

" She (Hinojosa) said if I might find the gamers, she would find the financing," stated Rodriguez, who likewise is the ladies beach ball coach at Fontana. "I did and she did."

Fontana's design of play resembles the 3 most important aspects of property: location, area, and place.

The standard method to play the video game is to get the ball, have a setter bump the ball towards taller gamers near the web, and send a difficult spike to the other side. The Steelers will do that on event, however also have a skill for finding open areas on the other side of the net.

" It counts the very same if you knock the ball or find an open space," Rodriguez stated. "Our players aren't as big as some other groups, so we have to find methods to score."

More crucial than scoring is playing defense. Rodriguez and senior Adrian Montes both talked about playing excellent on defense. San Gabriel coach Byron Pagdilao discovered the defense.

" They (Fontana) played harder and played smarter," Pagdilao said. "They have excellent management from Montes, and his energy alone brought them. They were able to extend plays."

San Gabriel (22-5) has a gifted but young group. Pagdilao stated he has 3 seniors, only one of whom is a starter.

"We have an excellent foundation," he stated.

Montes and sophomore Donovan Bacon integrated to score the final three points of the second game to offer the Steelers a 2-0 advantage. Fontana routed 13-12 in the final set, however Bacon had two eliminates to begin a streak of 7 points and secure the match.

Bacon likewise plays basketball however is leading toward acquiring more experience in volley ball. He was eliminated from the basketball team because of grades. Rodriguez spoke with a coach to try to get Bacon renewed if he worked harder on his schoolwork. Bacon said he played beach ball as a way of thanking Rodriguez.

Montes said he studied films of challengers to see where there might be empty spaces. He also plays soccer and might dip into Cal Poly Pomona.

"I do not know if they have a men's volley ball team," Montes confessed.

On the other hand, he has experience with petitions.