Following last year’s run to the state CIF title, Boys’ Volleyball has transformed an uncertain season into a playoff push with their post-spring break eight-game winning streak.

The team’s resilience, steady improvement, and long-term chemistry — especially among the four senior starters — have earned 21-9 overall record and 9-5 league record, placing them second in the Pacific Coast League. They are also strong contenders for the playoffs in the CIF Southern Section Division 5.

The season began with challenging games against San Juan Hills and Trabuco Hills.

“I think this season, it was a bit of a rough start playing against some good teams,” freshman William Priddy said. “But as the season went on, we kind of found our groove.”

This season, the team also lost the transformative outside hitter Jackson Cryst, who now plays at Cal State University, Long Beach. First-year head coach Ethan Cinco said the team responded well to change, even with some injuries.

“Being new to the school and new to the program… I think we did a good job at finding an identity early,” he said.

Cinco added that the team’s biggest strength is its “brotherhood.”

“What makes this group truly unique is their commitment to each other,” Cinco said. “It’s cool how many of them are genuinely friends off the court and stay after practices just to talk.

In Cinco’s last eight years coaching in public schools, he has never seen this level of camaraderie.

Senior Dylan Han also echoed the team’s close-knit relationship.

“We have a lot of team chemistry this year since half of our starting roster right now is seniors, and we’ve been playing with each other for 3-4 years,” Dylan said.

That chemistry mattered as the team adjusted to a new coaching staff and new systems. Han said it took time for the team to learn different blocking schemes and other tactical changes, but the players grew comfortable as the season went on.

William said the team’s success depends upon their serve receives, ball control and on-court communication.

“We’re most definitely a smaller team,” Priddy said. “We have to have ball control and keep rallies alive long enough to eventually get a kill.”

Cinco credits several players for helping lead the team’s growth. He praises Dylan for his consistency and positivity, highlights senior Jonathan Ye for stepping up at the Coyote Classic tournament, and commends captains Connor Gapp and Ryan Manesh for showing why they were chosen to lead. As one of the few underclassmen on the team, Priddy said Connor and Ryan have been key in welcoming younger players and helping them adjust to the varsity level.

With the regular season winding down, the team’s focus is clear: finish strong and reach the CIF playoffs.

Cinco believes the group is capable of more than just qualifying.

“I want them to prove that we are good enough, we don’t need anything else, anybody else,” Cinco said. “We’re great just as we are.”