Daily Pilot High School Male Athlete of the Week: Cole Pender plans to write big finish to career

Cole Pender is a confident young man with every reason to be so.

From the time he was a freshman, he was on the varsity boys’ volleyball team at Newport Harbor High.

A four-year varsity player is rare in any sport at any school, but it is a particularly exclusive club when talking about programs coached by Rocky Ciarelli.

Pender is part of a group that also includes middle blockers Ethan Talley and Will Axton that represents the first boys to play all four years on a varsity team under Ciarelli.

Previously, Ciarelli had one girl, Melissa Wendt, who played all four years for the varsity team while he was at Huntington Beach.

“At Huntington, I had zero [boys] from freshman to senior year,” said Ciarelli, who has coached boys’ volleyball for 31 years. “This group is the first time that I’ve had freshmen on varsity and play four years. To me, it’s a little unusual, but the program was not doing well, so I had to put younger kids up on varsity.”

The Sailors coach was quick to point out that Newport Harbor has always been an elite program in boys’ volleyball, but of course, all public schools experience varying degrees of cyclical success.

Currently ranked first in the CIF Southern Section Division 1 poll, Newport Harbor is atop of the hill. The Sailors’ record stood at 13-0 entering Saturday’s action at the Orange County Championships, but Pender says that the team has bigger mountains to climb.

“I think the [undefeated] start is good, but it doesn’t really mean anything,” Pender said. “The only thing that means anything is [Sunset] league and CIF.”

Newport Harbor has made incremental postseason improvements since Pender’s arrival. After being knocked out in the first round as a freshman, Pender’s team got to the second round in 2016, and it advanced to the Division 1 semifinals last year.

“You should never go into a game thinking that you’re going to lose,” Pender said. “I’d rather finish last than second place. Honestly, [the goal is] to win every game.”

The senior outside hitter was named the Most Valuable Player of the Best of the West Tournament in San Diego last weekend. He had 13 kills in the semifinals against La Jolla (25-16, 23-25, 15-11), and he added nine kills and one ace in the championship match against Cupertino Monta Vista (27-25, 25-12).

“I can’t really think of where he has had a bad match,” Ciarelli said of Pender. “He usually plays very well. He was good the whole tournament, but the semis and finals, he was exceptional. It was like someone turned on a switch, and he kicked it up another notch for those last two matches. That’s why he was the MVP.”

Pender stands a wiry 6 feet 3, and he is a solid hitter. He powers through his serves, but Ciarelli thinks that it is Pender’s all-around game that landed him on UCLA’s radar. The Sailors star has been committed to the Bruins since the beginning of his junior year.

“He can affect the game in every aspect,” Ciarelli said. “His passing is excellent. His defense is very good. He’s not a great blocker, but he tends to come up with big blocks when we need them, and he serves well.

“Since he was a freshman, his all-around game has been something special. He’s probably one of the best passers I’ve ever seen in high school.”

Newport Harbor’s program has flourished due to depth and experience. The Sailors have the trio of four-year varsity members. In addition, junior setter Joe Karlous and junior outside hitter Dayne Chalmers have been on varsity for three years.

Pender showed humility in saying that the program’s success goes beyond the accomplishments of the starters.

“Without our bench, we wouldn’t be the team that we are right now,” Pender said. “They’re playing with us every day, and they’re making us better to the best of our ability.

“I’m challenged every day in practice by the players on the bench. They could make one of the best teams in the Sunset League if they were on a different team.

“You don’t see the other teams we’re competing against having two sides of the net in practice playing really hard against each other and giving it their all.”

As in the days of old when he looked up to upperclassmen like Landon Monroe, Spencer Lawrence and Scott Schweitzer, Pender hopes that he can be an example to follow for the younger guys now.

Ciarelli believes that Pender has earned his stripes to become a team leader.

“Even in his own way when he was younger, he was somewhat leading in the best way he knew how,” Ciarelli said of Pender. “Now, he really understands that he’s a senior and he’s in charge, and he’s doing a good job.”

In keeping with his gratitude for the program that he has grown up in, Pender thanked the entire coaching staff for the work they have put in to build something special at Newport Harbor.

“Dan, Glenn and Rocky have helped me out so much throughout the years,” he said. “They’ve matured me, and Rusty Sary, [too]. I wouldn’t rather have any other three coaches in the world. Those guys are great.

“They’re great coaches. Everywhere they go, they have winning records.”

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Cole Pender

Born: Oct. 14, 1999

Hometown: Costa Mesa

Height: 6 feet 3

Weight: 170 pounds

Sport: Volleyball

Year: Senior

Coach: Rocky Ciarelli

Favorite food: His dad’s steak or TK Burgers

Favorite movie: “The Benchwarmers”

Favorite athletic moment: The UCLA-bound outside hitter said winning the Sunset League last season is his favorite moment right now, but in a bold prediction, he added that might change when his team wins CIF this year.

Week in review: Pender was named the MVP of the Best of the West Tournament in San Diego after leading his team to the title. The Sailors defeated Cupertino Monta Vista 27-25, 25-12 in the final, dropping a single set in seven matches.

andrew.turner@latimes.com

Twitter: @ProfessorTurner