Peplinski Puts Moorpark on Map

Jason Peplinski is used to the question.

Moorpark? Where’s that?

It’s not easy trying to build a volleyball power at Moorpark High, but Peplinski has the Musketeers on the way to respectability in his first year as coach.

The former coach at Quartz Hill is familiar with quizzical looks and wrinkled noses--Quartz Hill? Where’s that?--in a sport dominated by beach schools.

But Moorpark (7-3, 3-3 in Marmonte League play) is no longer a guaranteed victory for opponents. Nor is it a bottom feeder at tournaments.

Moorpark finished third at the Ventura tournament and eliminated Dos Pueblos in the tournament playoffs. Dos Pueblos coaches shook Peplinski’s hand and then shook their heads. Peplinski knew what was coming.

“People are coming up to me and saying, ‘Who are you guys?’ ” Peplinski said. “They don’t even know where Moorpark is.”

Peplinski, a former setter at Central Michigan who was a graduate assistant with the Michigan women’s team in 1995, guided Quartz Hill to two Golden League titles in three years.

He made a 60-mile commute to Quartz Hill last year after moving to Simi Valley. Moorpark, five miles from Simi Valley, was a more practical place to coach.

Peplinski instilled discipline almost immediately, dismissing two wayward players from the team and holding meetings with parents to explain his ways and means.

It’s worked.

Moorpark stunned Thousand Oaks in a three-game sweep two weeks ago and gave Royal trouble in a lengthy three-game loss last week.

Cary Hanson, a 6-foot-4 outside hitter who committed to Cal State Northridge last week, pounds kills from everywhere.

“We set Cary 90% of the time,” Peplinski said. “It’s no secret.”

Hanson’s brother, Brandon, was part of the first volleyball team at Moorpark in 1995. Hanson feels like he’s part of a new start.

“We didn’t have much discipline [last year],” Hanson said. “A lot of kids aren’t fooling around anymore because they know [Peplinski] will kick them off right away. He doesn’t mess around.”

The Musketeers are still prone to one-sided losses and were drilled in three games by Simi Valley last Friday, but people are learning where Moorpark is located.

“We’re getting taken more seriously,” Hanson said. “I don’t want to [graduate]. It’s much more fun to win.”

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Another chapter in the Royal-Mira Costa anthology will be written Wednesday night, with no major plot . . . except for the No. 1 spot in the Southern Section Division II poll.

The section powerhouses meet for the seventh consecutive season, with Royal having won only twice in the annual long-distance rivalry.

Mira Costa, ranked No. 1, has two of the top players in the division, 6-foot-8 middle blocker Pat Nihipali and opposite hitter Jason Spratt.

Royal (13-1), ranked No. 2 and playing at home, counters with 6-6 middle blocker David Russell, who has signed with UCLA, and slick junior setter Bart Kowalski.

“I’d say it’s a pretty big game,” Royal Coach Bob Ferguson said. “It should tell us where we’re at and if we can play on a consistent basis against a very good team. We don’t have their size, but we’ll have to play smart, strategic volleyball.”

At the very least, expect a long match. Last year, Mira Costa needed nearly 2 1/2 hours to win in four games.

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Village Christian finds out how it stacks up against the big schools on Saturday.

The Crusaders (12-0), ranked No. 3 in Division IV, are playing in the Dos Pueblos tournament with Highland, Poway, Loyola, Santa Barbara, San Marcos and Dos Pueblos, among others.

Led by 6-4 outside hitter Ken Benesh, the Crusaders are successful at the small-school level and are expected to win the Alpha League title. They won the Providence tournament on March 10, allowing more than 10 points only once in nine games, all against smaller schools.

The Dos Pueblos tournament is a step up for the Crusaders.

“It’ll be a good test,” Village Christian Coach Bill Schnobrich said. “We’ll get to see where we fare against the big dogs.”

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They didn’t live up to the tournament’s name, but Canyon and Taft fared best among teams from the region in the Tournament of Champions at Cal State Northridge.

Both were eliminated in the quarterfinals of the 29-team tournament Saturday, Taft losing to San Clemente, 15-8, and Canyon losing to eventual champion Poway, 15-8.

Canyon beat San Pedro in the first round, 15-1, and scored more points against Poway than any team in the tournament playoffs.

Poway defeated Torrey Pines, 15-0, for the first championship shutout in the 15-year history of the tournament.

Taft defeated L.A. University in the first round, 15-4.

In pool play, Taft led Poway, 12-9, but lost, 15-12.

“I’m not saying we’re a bunch of superstars,” Taft Coach Doug Magorien said. “But we’re a bunch of tough little snots. That’s the trademark of our team.”

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

VOLLEYBALL TOP 10

Rankings of boys’ teams in the region

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RK LW School (League) Rec. 1 1 Royal (Marmonte) 13-1 2 2 Highland (Golden) 4-1 3 4 Canyon (Foothill) 5-1 4 6 Village Christian (Alpha) 12-0 5 8 Thousand Oaks (Marmonte) 5-3 6 7 Grant (Sunset Six) 6-0 7 9 Taft (West Valley) 6-1 8 10 Harvard-Westlake (Mission) 7-4 9 5 Chatsworth (West Valley) 6-1 10 NR Simi Valley (Marmonte) 5-3

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