Town Crier Intern
Every team has its rebuilding years and for the Homestead High boys volleyball team, there has been plenty of repairing to do this season.
Last year, the team captured the SCVAL De Anza Division crown and reached the Central Coast Section finals, where it fell to powerhouse Bellarmine.
But that was last year.
This year, Homestead is dealing with the loss of many key components.
Six players on the 2000 squad graduated. Four of them were starters, including CCS MVP Aaron Mansfield.
“We replaced (Aaron) with a bunch of players,” said coach Jason Mansfield, Aaron’s older brother. “Last year, we set to him and this year we set to other players, so we are less predictable.”
The Mustangs also lost head coach Roger Edwards, who died of pneumonia shortly before the season began. Team members attended funeral services for Edwards and pay tribute to him by wearing “Ed” – his nickname – on their volleyball shorts.
“It’s been hard,” Mansfield said of replacing Edwards. “I coached the last four years (as an assistant at Homestead), so it’s better than with someone who didn’t even know (the team).”
And the players seem to be adjusting to their new coach.
“Ed was inspirational, but Jason knows just as much about the game,” junior Nick Miluso said. “He is a very experienced coach.”
Under these circumstances, many expected the team to drop off this season.
“No one thought we would really win any games,” junior Josh Cavin said. “We were supposed to be a joke.”
But Homestead appears to be getting the last laugh, thanks to the play of their returners and new starters.
“I think a combination of people stepped up, like Josh and Armen (Ekmekji),” Miluso said.
So far, the team has proved capable of playing with the best. They enter this week at 3-0 in the De Anza Division and 8-3 overall.
“I think this season we will do really well,” Cavin said. “We are pulling through.”
Repeating as division champs and contending for the CCS title appear to be attainable goals.
“I think the league championship is realistic,” said Mansfield, who also coaches the girls team at Los Altos High.
The only team that stands in the way of the division title, according to the players, is Los Gatos.
“We’ve beat other teams in about 45 minutes each,” Mansfield said. “We just need to beat Los Gatos.”
A match between the two teams scheduled for last Thursday was postponed and will be rescheduled for later in the season.
