It’s been quite a weekend for Lakewood High School.  On Friday night, the football team did something they haven’t done since 1982 in beating Poly.  On Saturday, the volleyball team hosted the Annual Steve Lewis Volleyfest in memory of the late mentor/coach/friend.

So, what would the veteran Lancers do in the nightcap against Santa Margarita with all that buzz in the Lakewood gym?  “We play better when we’re stay loose,” said Lakewood coach Mike Wadley.  “Even to the girls on the bench, this team has bought into the team concept.”

Lakewood stayed loose (including an impromptu gym-wide clap along orchestrated by the Lancer bench) and used stellar performances from emerging leaders Jazmine Orozco and Megan Moenoa on the way to a 25-20, 25-21, 25-17 sweep of the defending CIF champion Eagles.

The match started with back-to-back kills from Orozco and Tyler Jackson and the Lancers were off and running.  Santa Margarita did a good job staying close even though Moenoa, Orozco and Chrissy Tuua wreaked havoc on the Eagle attack at the net.  The Eagle defense was able to scramble and dig out some stiff Lancer blocks on five different points, and off one of those plays, a kill from Samantha Tinley tied it all 11.  However, the Lancers took the lead back on a service error and would not give it back for the rest of the set.

Due to more good play from Tinsley and outside hitter Kylie Hargreaves, the Eagles went point-for-point with the Lancers in the second set.  There were 13 ties in the set, the difference in the match being that all but two times Lakewood emerged from the tie with the lead.  Four of those times it was Orozco with the kill for the lead.  She finished the night with 19 kills and five blocks.

“(Orozco) is talking more on the floor and coming up big,” said Wadley of his senior who is one of three players who were on the 2007 State Championship team— a team that dedicated it’s season to Lewis.  “She’s becoming more of a leader every match.”

The Eagles came out and took the quick lead in the third set, but with the score tied at six, Jackson aced one down the line to spark a 7-2 Lakewood run.  Orozco would finish the night off with a kill to end the third set, 25-17.

Last night’s dramatic win over Poly and this emphatic sweep of Santa Margarita gives Lakewood High School back-to-back victories over defending CIF champions.  “Yeah, it’s been a pretty good fall for Lakewood,” said Wadley, whose team improves to 16-4.  “Hopefully we can keep it going.”