Warriors On the Right Path

Like they needed more firepower.

Westlake High, with a Southern Section title already in one pocket, moved closer to tucking away a state title while receiving an encouraging performance from a player coming back from a serious injury.

At full strength for the first time in months, Westlake was healthy and wealthy during a 15-6, 15-3, 15-2 victory over Sanger in a first-round match of the Division II playoffs Tuesday night.

In their first-ever state playoff match at home, the Warriors (34-3) showed they’d like to host another one, which will come Saturday night in the quarterfinals against Bakersfield Stockdale (24-10).

Heather Hutchison delivered eight kills and Erika Denison had six blocks for Westlake, but Leigh O’Neill’s four kills may have carried the most weight.

A starter last year, O’Neill played outside hitter for the first time since September, when she injured her right shoulder at the Durango tournament in Las Vegas.

O’Neill, who has undergone physical therapy and had a cortisone injection two weeks ago, had been playing back row for the Warriors--as she did in the first two games Tuesday--but did not play outside until the third game.

“It still hurts, but I’ve got to play through it,” said O’Neill, who came up with all four of her kills and an ace in the third game.

O’Neill isn’t the only semi-wounded Warrior. She joins Courtney Miller, who had 12 kills and five aces against St. Joesph last Saturday in her first match since undergoing surgery to have a bone fragment removed from her left foot.

Miller had four kills in limited action Tuesday.

“Everyone’s getting a little better, a little healthier,” Denison said.

Westlake didn’t look too healthy in the first game and was caught off guard by several quick kills in the middle by Sanger (23-11), a town about 15 miles east of Fresno.

But Sanger hurt itself with six service errors and could get no closer than 7-5.

The Warriors didn’t fool around in the next two games.

Denison had two kills and two blocks as the Warriors scored nine consecutive points to start the second game.

The third game was very similar, with the Warriors up 11-1 before Sanger delivered its first kill of the game.

Sanger has played both Westlake and Stockdale in the past week and should have a pretty good idea who will win Saturday’s quarterfinal match.

“Westlake’s outsides are better, but Stockdale’s middles are very good and I thought their defense was better,” said Sanger Coach Lynette Wilke-Lopez, whose team was swept by Stockdale in the Central Section Division II championship last week.

“Stockdale played us better than Westlake did.”

Said Westlake Coach Chris Rundle: “Saturday’s going to be a good match. You’ll see some big volleyball.”