By Mitch Stephens
MaxPreps.com
SAN JOSE, Calif. - For years, Lakewood High has lived in the rather large shadows cast by fellow Moore League juggernauts Long Beach Poly, Long Beach Wilson and Compton, among others.
We're not talking just volleyball here folks. We're talking about sports, academics, everything.
"We're kind of the forgotten school," Lakewood coach Mike Wadley said. "We're the little guy. The underdog."
Not anymore.
Not after the Lancers defeated Nevada Union-Grass Valley 25-18, 20-25, 25-18, 26-24 in the CIF State Division I championship at San Jose State's Event Center on Saturday.
In the best match of the day - the only one that wasn't a sweep - Lakewood showed off its high speed athletic attack as 6-foot-1 sophomore Jazmine Jacobsen-Orozco had 18 kills, 6-1 senior Jessica Thomas added 17 and 5-10 sophomore Taylor Hollins 13 kills for the champions (30-7).
Senior setter Megan Johnson (32 assists) was brilliant distributing the ball to help offset a superb performance from the Miners (44-5), which got a combined 36 kills from Sarah McAtee, Taylor Japhet and Kylie Miraldi.
According to Wadley it's the first state title in any sport for the Long Beach-area school.
"Back in August I made out fliers and made one of our goals that we could win the state championship," Wadley said. "The girls put in the hard work and they believed and here we are."
Besides the offensive firepower, Lakewood cleaned up off the hardwood, recording a whopping 66 digs led by 16 for Orozco, 11 by Gabby Pulig and 10 from Johnson.
"I just think we had a few more errors than they did," Nevada Union coach Bob Rogers said. "Otherwise I thought it was an even game."
The fourth game was knotted up seven times, the last time at 23-23. Thomas and Kristin Dable exchanged kills to make it 24-24, before freshman Megan Moenoa took a backset from Johnson and put it home.
Then with Madison Moss serving, Hollins delivered her final and 13th kills coming in just her 16th attempt to clinch the match and historic title.
"We have a lot of bangers who can hit with anyone," Wadley said. "But I've told the team since day one that offense sells tickets but defense wins championships."
It was an emotional and almost bittersweet championship for Lakewood, which lost its former coach Steve Lewis to liver cancer four years ago this week.
Lewis meant so much to the school, Wadley and the team, the Lancers have draped his old jacket around a chair at the end of the bench every match.
That's been going on for four seasons.
"He's still very much with us," said Wadley, who was Lewis' assistant before he became ill. "I wanted to get him a ring and now he finally gets one."
NOTES: The game MVP was Lakewood's Jacobsen-Orozco. The All-Tournament was Johnson and Thomas from Lakewood and McAtee and Kylie Miraldi, from Nevada Union. . The Sportsmanship Awards went to Johnson and Kristin Dahle (Nevada Union).
E-mail Mitch Stephens@maxpreps.com.
