Also serving the communities of De Luz, Rainbow, Camp Pendleton, Pala and Pauma
Also serving the communities of De Luz, Rainbow, Camp Pendleton, Pala and Pauma
Fallbrook High's Matthew Ariaz rises high and hits the ball over the net against Mission Vista. The Warriors won the May 4 contest 3-0. Shane Gibson photos
Senior players on the varsity volleyball team are honored before the May 4 game against Mission Vista, from left, Matthew Ariaz, Giovanni Duenas, Angel Mercado and Justice Patterson.
Warrior James Brodak receives a serve against Mission Vista, May 4.
Fallbrook Warriors Angel Mercado, left, and Justice Patterson go up for a block attempt against Mission Vista.
Fallbrook High's James Prahm makes a bump set during the Warriors' game against Mission Vista.
Warrior Giovanni Duenas returns a Mission Vista serve.
Warrior Joseph Portillo spikes the ball against Mission Vista
Fallbrook Warrior Justice Patterson hits the ball over the net against Mission Vista.
An April 25 home win over San Dieguito Academy gave Fallbrook High School's boys volleyball team a Valley League record of 4-1 and an overall record of 16-7, but more importantly to Fallbrook coach Chip Patterson and his players it showed that the Warriors could adjust against a team which defeated Fallbrook in the first round of league play.
"We learned something," Patterson said.
San Dieguito had defeated Fallbrook in an April 6 match at San Dieguito. That five-game match began with a 25-21 Fallbrook victory, but the Mustangs won game two by a 25-23 margin.
"We had the game multiple times put away," said Patterson, noting that the Warriors led in the second game. "We let them come back."
The Mustangs prevailed 25-22 in the third game, but Fallbrook evened the match with a 25-20 triumph in game four to force a fifth and deciding game.
The Warriors had a 10-5 lead in the fifth game.
"We managed to allow them to creep back into the game," Patterson said.
The fifth game is to 15 points although a team must win by two points. San Dieguito ended that set on the winning side of the 19-17 score.
The Warriors had opened league play with a 25-13, 25-11, 26-24 win April 3 at Valley Center, and the April 20 home match against Valley Center was a 25-23, 17-25, 25-17, 25-13 Fallbrook victory. The Warriors traveled to Mission Vista for an April 21 league match and prevailed in 25-17, 25-22, and 25-13 sets.
The April 25 contest between Fallbrook and San Dieguito Academy began with a 25-19 Fallbrook victory. The Mustangs evened the match with a 25-23 triumph in the second game. Fallbrook concluded the match with 25-19 and 25-20 victories.
"It was a little bit easier of a contest," said Patterson of the rematch.
The fourth Valley League win of 2017 exceeded the entire 2016 total for Fallbrook, whose 3-7 league record last year was part of an 11-15 overall figure.
"It's going good," said Patterson. "I wish we wouldn't have taken a loss to San Dieguito early in the season."
The Warriors have five returning players from the 2016 varsity.
"This year is the building year," Patterson said. "They should dominate next year."
The fact that four of those returning players are seniors this year doesn't dampen Patterson's hopes for a successful 2018 season.
"I think we have some good JV players coming up next year, and that's the good thing about the program," Patterson said.
Fallbrook did not have a junior varsity team for several years before the 2016 program included both varsity and JV squads.
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