Some seasons you just see coming.  You see a talented group with young players make a run deep into the playoff, and you think, “Wow, when those few players are all seniors, they’re going to be tough to beat.”

The Lakewood Lancers made a run to a State Championship in 2007, and this 2009 team is the one you saw coming.  Seniors Taylor Hollins and Jazmine Orozco, and juniors Tyler Jackson and Megan Moenoa, were all on floor for that ’07 team as underclassman.  This year they’re back for the swan song season as a group, and head coach Mike Wadley couldn’t be happier.

“I really like this group,” says Wadley, who is entering his sixth year at Lakewood and 14^th year as a coach.  “They get along really well, they work hard… we’ve been playing some really good teams, and we’re just trying to be prepared for anything.”

Getting ready for anything and everything means playing the best teams, which the Lancers have done.  It also means the four veterans will need to be at the top of their game as soon as league play begins this week.

Orozco, a 6’1” outside hitter committed to Illinois University, is a natural talent and, as Wadley says, “Jaz can play at another level.”  Hollins, committed to Miami University, is incredibly quick on the outside, and can go on a scoring streak at any time, like she did against Los Alamitos last week.  The seniors are two of the fastest, hardest swinging outside hitters in the Southern Section, but the two juniors set up the speed attack on offense the Lancers love to run because they are so versatile.  Moenoa is the best setter for the Lancers, but she can also play the outside, and her dump shot is a fantastic weapon.  Meanwhile, the other junior Jackson can do a little bit of everything as well and will see time in the back line and on the outside.

The biggest question mark for this veteran team actually involves two freshmen and a sophomore, but that’s nothing new to Wadley, who has started at least one freshman in each of his six years at Lakewood.

“If they can play, they can play,” says Wadley, who considers the spot for starting libero still open.  But right now, he likes what he sees from freshman Heather Eggers.  “After the Harvard-Westlake game, I pulled Eggers up from JV, and she’s been playing since… she’s a natural athlete, and was a setter, but she’s only played for about two years and she took to libero right away… with her knowledge of the offense since she was setting, she’s able to take her hands out and pass to the target.”

Another underclassman ready to shine is Chrissy Tuua, a sophomore middle blocker who also started as a freshman last year.  The 5’11” senior Chaffee Sauni joins her in the middle, and they really showed with they can do against the very talented Los Al Griffins (four blocks in first set).

Wadley knows the Lancers have a target on their back and they will get every ones best shot, so the season will be taxing mentally, but he feels he has the players to continue his streak of getting to the playoffs.  But how far does he really think this team can go?  Just know that Lakewood knows when and where the CIF and State title games are being held.  All the way down to the time and gym.  “Yeah in Gym Two… we know where we want to be.  We know what our goals are.”