The Point Loma boys’ volleyball team wrapped up its impressive third league title in the last four years.
With an Eastern League record of 10-2, the Pointers edged Patrick Henry (9-3) for the crown. In head-to-head competition with the Patriots, each team prevailed once — the Pointers dropping a 3-1 decision on the road and earning a 3-0 win in the familiar confines of Lee Trepanier Gym.
The other Pointer loss came in a 3-1 decision, also away, to third place Morse High.
Overall, the Pointers recorded a 13-12 record.
Ironically, despite the string of league championships, the Pointers fell from Division II to Division III in the new CIF playoff system, based on each school’s overall record over the last five seasons.
The Pointers were the No. 6 seed in their new division and began playoffs with a 3-2 victory over No. 11 El Capitan High last week.
Their next match, at No. 3 seed Santana High, was postponed by the recent wildfires and was set to take place earlier this week, with the winner of that match scheduled to play the winner of the No. 10 San Diego High vs. No. 2 Sweetwater High game on May 21.
The highest-seeded team automatically becomes the home team.
Travis Doyle, (6’ 7″) led several statistical categories. His 272 kills (of 471 attempts) was far ahead of junior Jason Shoemaker’s next highest total (86 of 192).
John Hook (41), Doyle (38), Shoemaker (31), Gabe Kim (27) and Jack Chinman (24) served the most aces.
Doyle also dominated the blocks category with 52, outdistancing Chinman’s 18.
In digs, Doyle recorded 157, while Shoemaker (79), Kim (69), Hook (52), Ryan Hause (48), Paul Hause (46), Chinman (45) and Jorge Navarro (33) all chipped in.
Hook easily led all players with 360 assists, with Shoemaker recording 184.
Receiving serves was another Doyle strength, as his 164 successful receptions led the Pointers. Paul Hause (74), Kim (73), Navarro (59), Ryan Hause (46) and Shoemaker (45) were other leaders.
At a Senior Night celebration earlier this month, head coach James Sakasegawa bade farewell to Angel Flores, Doyle, Kim, Ryan and Paul Hause.
Next season’s returning Pointers will include Hook, Shoemaker, Navarro and 6-foot-4-inch sophomore Chinman, along with Mitch Zanders, Jaret LaRocco, Michael Enright, Taeshon Green and Nicholas Stepanof. EXTRA NOTES
• Shoemaker, finishing his junior year, was the only member of this year’s team that also played on the “odd squad,” the 2012 Pointer team that finished 2-10 in Eastern League and 2-25 overall.
• The 2011, 2013 and now 2014 teams have recorded league championships.
• The team’s assistant coaches are Lawrence Ortiguerra, Rob Harring and Nick McCurry.
