These Monarchs Want a Title to Call Their Own

The success of Mater Dei’s athletic program breeds high expectations, even for those Monarch teams that don’t have a championship history.

Consider the girls’ volleyball team.

Unlike the boys’ or girls’ basketball teams, these Monarchs had never reached a section final, let alone won a section or state championship. Still, Coach Ron Cheser received such heavy criticism last season after his team finished with a sub-.500 record he contemplated resigning.

But all that has changed this season.

Mater Dei won its first outright South Coast League title and reached the Division I-A championship match with a 21-1 record and a No. 1 ranking in the state.

The Monarchs will play in their first section championship match against Marina (17-2), also in its first volleyball final, 4:30 p.m. Saturday at Long Beach State.

“I’m excited to be in the finals,” junior Lauren Warner said. “And it’s a chance to prove that our school should be known for its volleyball teams too, not just basketball.”

Mater Dei boasts a talent-laden squad with a balanced attack led by its tri-captains.

“Our leadership makes this team unique,” Cheser said. “Katie Rice does a lot of our grunt work, sets the example and runs things as our setter. Amy DeCinces is the type who is not afraid to get up in someone’s face if she’s not doing her job.

“Lauren [Warner] didn’t want to be a captain, but I told her, ‘Too bad, it’s yours.’ She’s our underclassmen captain and she’ll be the lead captain next year.

“All three bring something different.”

Warner is perhaps the team’s most powerful hitter and leads by example. Cheser moved her to middle blocker with Lindsay Pavlik to get more weapons into the lineup, like outside hitters Megan Sabo, Katie Beauregard and Jennifer Ward.

DeCinces is a vocal leader and like her father, former Angel third baseman Doug DeCinces, packs some punch from the right side.

And Rice gets to orchestrate it all. “I know I can put the ball anywhere and someone will put it down,” Rice said.

That confidence wasn’t always oozing from the Monarchs.

Coming off a rocky 1996 season, Mater Dei wasn’t sure if championships were in its future. That began to change last July at the Prep Nationals tournament at Cerritos College, a tournament that featured Fountain Valley, Marina and Lakewood St. Joseph.

“Oh my gosh, when we won that tournament, we started to see that we could be pretty good,” said DeCinces, who is being recruited by Michigan, Villanova and others.

Cheser saw a change in his players’ attitudes.

“I knew this team always had the talent,” Cheser said. “But at that tournament, they showed some real heart for the first time.”

Cheser said Mater Dei faced six game points against St. Joseph, trailing 14-13, and fought off each one. The Monarchs eventually won the game and the match.

Cheser’s feelings were confirmed early this season, when the Monarchs traveled to Las Vegas for the Durango tournament. There, Mater Dei defeated Manhattan Beach Mira Costa, 15-6, 15-9.

“We lost to Mira Costa last year,” Warner said. “And they’re a great school, one that’s won a lot of championships. But we beat them there, and up until then, I don’t think we ever realized what kind of potential we really have.”

Now, everyone else is beginning to see it too.