When Arielle Manz was cut twice from the Redondo Union High School volleyball team prior to her junior year, it would have been easy to walk away from the game. But perseverance and hard work paid off for the late bloomer.
Manz developed quick enough to earn a gold medal in the Junior Olympics and a starting role on the highly-ranked Sea Hawk team.
“Quitting never really entered my mind,” Manz said in a 2009 interview with the Easy Reader. “I enjoyed playing the game and I was learning every day.”
She would eventually earn a scholarship to UC Irvine where she is a redshirt freshman. It was Manz’ performance at the Junior Olympics that caught the eye of former West High standout and 3-time Olympian Paul Weishoff who was taking over the helm of the UC Irvine women’s volleyball team at the time.
Redondo Head Coach Tommy Chaffins has been utilizing the saga of Manz’ high school career as a source of inspiration for young girls – and boys — coming into the Sea Hawk system.
“Tommy (Chaffins) has always been one of my biggest fans,” Manz said. “He’s always wanted me to do well and he’s taught me so much.”
The two were reunited recently at the 2nd Annual Lady Sea Hawks Volleyball Tournament, joining forces to win the 5-man tournament where men and tall females were limited to hitting from the back row.
Playing under the moniker Old School, Coaches Paul Viggiano (RUHS 1973), Gavin Stubb (1996), Lauren Kirk (2005, captain at LMU 2007-08) and Chaffins (1988) joined Manz (2010) as the team edged defending champion Smak 25-23 for the title.
Manz recorded 10 kills including the game winner to earn MVP honors.
“Our tournament couldn’t have gone better,” Chaffins said. “Lots of former players and their families along with current players and families attended. I know this tournament will grow and grow and will be put on Sea Hawk fans’ calendars every year. I loved watching the old school Sea Hawks compete against the new school Sea Hawks.”
Smak was comprised of Coach Amy Mosebar (2007, Biola), junior Hannah Mosebar, Lauren Allen (2008, senior at UC Irvine), Megan Saraceno (2008) and Jessica Kalama (2008, senior at Cal Baptist)
In the semifinals Smak defeated D squared, M squared + O.B., a squad that included junior Skylar Dykstra, Devon Dykstra (2008, UCLA), Taylor Moore (RUHS 2008, senior at Hofstra), Molly Goldbach (2008, senior at Oliet Nazarane) and junior Olivia Bustamante.
Also finishing third was ASKNAT, a team consisting of senior Ally Barry (signed withMontana), junior Sade Mendez, junior Andrea Gonzales, junior Katie Rotondo and junior Tasia Vlahakis.
Fifth-place teams were Triple M & P.R (sophomore Annie Hale, sophomore Petra Grutzik, junior Maya McEwen, senior Tiffany Morales (signed with Michigan), sophomore Leilani Martinez and freshman Abril Bustamante) and Class of 2015 + 1 2014Â (freshman Jerephina Leilva, freshman Payton Chang, freshman Dominique Dodd, freshman Hayes Honea and sophomore Gabriella Viggiano).
Other current varsity players who didn’t play included sophomore Brianna Lanktree, who was attending the USA High Performance Camp; junior London Chow who was competing at the USA Beach Championships in Atlanta; sophomore Marissa Mitter, who was injured, and senior Devon Bogart, who was attending college camp at San Francisco State.
Redondo kicked off its season last weekend at the Oxnard Summer Tournament last weekend where the Sea Hawks reached the championship match for the second straight year only to lose in five games.
In the tournament that featured perennial powers Edison, Harvard-Westlake, Orange Lutheran,Thousand Oaks,Santa Barbara,Valenciaand Vista Murrieta, Redondo finished pool play Friday with a thrilling 19-25, 25-19, 19-25, 25-17, 25-11 victory over Thousand Oaks.
In the title match, Redondo fell to undefeated Dos Pueblos but not without a fight. After losing the first two sets 25-21, 25-16, the scrappy Sea Hawks rebounded to win the next two games 25-12, 26-24 before surrendering the final set 15-9.
Redondo continues to prepare for the upcoming season by hosting a 4-team tournament Saturday, Aug. 27. The event will feature some of the best teams in CIF Southern Section Division 1AA. Slated to compete are defending champion Long Beach Poly, 2010 semifinalist Los Alamitos, Harvard Westlake (last year’s No. 1 seed entering the 1AA playoffs) and 1AA runner-up Redondo.
