Warriors honored at post-season volleyball banquet

Fallbrook High School's boys volleyball team held its post-season banquet May 27 at Pizza Hut.

"Had a good time," said Fallbrook varsity coach Chip Patterson.

The banquet included team awards as well as dinner. Junior outside hitter Justice Patterson was named as the team's Most Valuable Player.

"Justice has been trying to be a leader of that team for two years since he was a freshman, so for him to achieve that his junior year shows that he's improving," Chip Patterson said.

Justice Patterson achieved that improvement despite an injury. "It's just been a phenomenal year coming off of a broken ankle," Chip Patterson said.

Justice Patterson led the team with 228 kills and had a .389 hitting percentage, which is determined by subtracting hitting errors from kills and dividing that amount into the total number of attempts. Patterson also led the Warriors with 179 digs and 35 serving aces. His 32 blocks, which placed fourth on the team, consisted of 17 solo blocks and 15 assisted blocks. Patterson was also named to the all-tournament team for the March 18-19 Del Lago Tournament.

Junior middle blocker Matthew Araiza was given the Defensive Player of the Year award.

"He really stepped up this year with blocking," Chip Patterson said. "He made it extremely hard for them to hit."

Araiza had 93 kills, 91 blocks consisting of 65 solo blocks and 26 assisted blocks, 14 digs, and six aces. "He improved his blocking," Patterson said. "I look forward to seeing him grow next year."

Senior defensive specialist Ford Culallad was chosen as the team's Most Improved recipient. "Ford was a total turnaround," Patterson said.

Although Culallad was a senior, he was a first-year volleyball player. "Ford did a great job for a guy who didn't know anything about volleyball," Patterson said.

Culallad ranked third on the team with 17 aces. "He was a great server," Patterson said.

Culallad also had 33 digs, six kills, one solo block, and two assisted blocks.

The Heart of the Warrior Award recognizes team spirit and attitude. This year's recipient was senior middle blocker Jake Klingsberg.

"Jake was truly a motivated player," Patterson said. "His play in the game showed that."

Klingsberg led the team with 104 blocks consisting of 73 solo blocks and 31 assisted blocks. He also had 106 kills, 101 digs, 58 assists, and 13 aces.

Giovanni Duenas received the Coaches' Award. Criteria for the award includes scholastic activity as well as character and off-court contributions to the team.

"He would come in at five in the morning so he could practice," Patterson said. "He improved so much over the last year."

Duenas had 51 digs, two kills, two aces, and two assists.

The Warriors finished the 2016 season with an 11-15 overall record and were 3-7 in Valley League play.