The Western High girls’ volleyball hired a first-year coach with a Buena Park connection.
Corey Manliguis, a former Buena Park resident, will serve as the skipper of the Pioneers during the 2013 season. He replaced family member Celeste Manliguis. Last year she steered the program to a third place finish in the Empire League and helped the program snatch a playoff berth.
“Hopefully I can do as good,” said Manliguis, who now resides in Anaheim and graduated from Western High in 1990.
The Western High girls’ volleyball hired a first-year coach with a Buena Park connection.
Corey Manliguis, a former Buena Park resident, will serve as the skipper of the Pioneers during the 2013 season. He replaced family member Celeste Manliguis. Last year she steered the program to a third place finish in the Empire League and helped the program snatch a playoff berth.
“Hopefully I can do as good,” said Manliguis, who now resides in Anaheim and graduated from Western High in 1990.
Manliguis will run a 6-2 scheme, which features a pair of setters. He has inherited five returners, which includes hitter MaKayla Dole, hitter Kassidy Harrington and setter Terree Okabe.
Three Pioneers have this type of history. They are Utility player MaKayla Dole, setter Terree Okabe and outside hitter Kassidy Harrington. All three have played club together. Additionally, Dole and Harrington, both upperclassmen, joined varsity as freshman. The other setter, Deja Faatoalia, is Dole’s cousin.
“We have a lot of talent and a lot of heart,” said Dole, whose father Dean Dole Sr. coaches the boys’ volleyball team.
“Mentally we have to get better, though,” Okabe said.
The Pioneers picked up a handful of newcomers, such as Faatoalia. This list includes middle blockers Rockelle Gholson and Sina Amasio. Both girls are multiple sport athletes. For instance, Amasio competes in track and field events, like the shot put.
In fact, several of the Pioneers play more than one sport. Dole is standout slugger for the varsity softball player while Okabe plays soccer and Harrington also competes in track.
“I feel confident in this team,” Okabe said.
Western will attempt to dethrone Yorba Linda, a scrappy team with plenty of club experience, and Pacifica, which took second place. Both programs swept Western in league play last year – the only two to accomplish this feat. However, like Western, Dole pointed out that both programs graduated “a lot players.”
“I actually thought we could have done better last year,” Harrington said. “I’m looking forward to playing some of these teams again.”
Western High didn’t join the Empire League until two years ago. It previously played in the Orange League.
In 2012, Western bested Village Christian in the first round of the playoffs before falling to Chadwick, which delivered a sweep, in the second round of Division-IIA action.
Boys’ Volleyball
Two Western High graduates will play at the collegiate level this year. Former setter Dean Dole Jr. recently moved to Hawaii, where he will attend Leeward Community College and attempt to join its volleyball program as a walk-on. Additionally, Malik Azouz will play for Fullerton College in the spring.
Soccer
Western High girls’ soccer head coach Marvin Davis will join the team for a second season. Last year Davis helped the Pioneers, who took fourth place in the Empire League, make the playoffs for the first time in 18 years.
