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By Patrick Lujan

All-Island setter Allen Camacho displays body control with a one-handed set at the net. Okkodo’s Aiden Ferrara and Jeddou Antonio are there to contest. (photo by Jesse Castro)
Winning never gets old.
The two-time defending champion GW Geckos are one win away from hoisting the IIAAG Boys Volleyball League trophy once again.
The undefeated Geckos had their hands full with the fifth-ranked Okkodo Bulldogs, coming back in both sets to win 25-20, 25-22 Monday night at the UOG Field House.
They move on to the championship game against the JFK Islanders, who defeated the FD Friars in the first semifinal match by the exact score.
The Bulldogs came out swinging as middle blocker Jeddou Antonio sparked an early 5-0 lead with two kills.
“I saw a very aggressive Okkodo offense and I knew we had our work cut out for us,” said GW assistant coach Joel Quitugua.
Okkodo held on to that lead until the Geckos went on a 6-0 run to take their first lead of the game 11-10 on an Allander Ebeo block.
Six ties later, the Bulldogs took a 19-18 edge on Aaron Blaz’s fourth kill of the set.
That was before the Geckos went on a 5-0 run highlighted by a Devin Maluwelmeng floor-denting kill off an X2 play. Maluwelmeng, the most dangerous offensive weapon in the league, somehow was selected only as an honorable mention by the coach’s All-Island list.
Ebio would close out the set with a block on Blaz.
“It was hard, but knowing my team, we always pull through,” said sophomore All-Island setter Allen Camacho, who was instrumental in orchestrating the highly-potent Geckos offense.
The second set was similar to the first as Okkodo once again came out charging to a 5-1 lead behind early kills from Blaz, Antonio and Aiden Ferrara.
The Bulldogs actually took the largest lead of the night at 12-5 on a net violation by GW star Luis Mesngon.

Allander Ebeo and Allen Camacho are there to stop Aiden Ferrara’s kill attempt. (photo by Jesse Castro)
But the deficit didn’t deter the Geckos’ mettle.
“I don’t think we felt that we were going to lose,” Camacho said. “We just stayed focus, as usual, and we just played our game and played smart.”
The Geckos slowly cut into the lead behind its net play – particularly on the defensive end.
“Our defense is based around our blocks,” coach Quitugua added. “When the guys are where they’re supposed to be, it will work. We’d like our blocks to do most of the work.”
And work it did, mostly behind Ebeo and sophomore Matthew Soto.
GW finally caught up to the Bulldogs at 18-18, but Okkodo wouldn’t go down without a fight as Blaz’s game-high ninth kill had the Bulldogs ahead 21-20.
But another Gecko run pushed the volleyball powerhouse team to the finals. After the game, it was business as usual with hardly a celebration.
“I think if we lay it all out on Wednesday, we should come out on top,” Quitugua added. “We just keep playing our system of volleyball, we should be ok. We’re confident but we won’t take anyone for granted.”
The Geckos are the obvious favorites heading into the championship match, but the Islanders pose a serious threat with a stiff backcourt defense and the deceiving attack from the Zacarias twins (Zakary and Zhedryk).
“They’re smart players, they like to tool and they find a way to find the open court. We just have to be on our toes and let our system work for us.,” Quitugua said about the finals matchup.
Geckos def, Bulldogs 25-20, 25-22
1st set
Aces: GW 1 (Mesngon 1), Okk 1 (Cristobal 1).
Unforced errors: GW 9, Okk 8.
Service errors: GW 3, Okk 1.
Kills: GW 11 (Maluwelmeng 5, Mesngon 2, Ebeo 2, Soto 2), Okk 7 (Blaz 4, Antonio 3).
Blocks: GW 3 (Ebeo 2, Camacho 1), Okk 0.
Ties: 8
2nd set
Aces: GW 2 (Mesngon 1, Quichocho 1), Okk 1 (Leong 1).
Unforced errors: GW 7, Okk 13.
Service errors: GW 4, Okk 1.
Kills: GW 8 (Maluwelmeng 3, Mesngon 2, Ebeo 2, Soto 1), Okk 8 (Blaz 5, Antonio 2, Ferrara 1).
Blocks: GW 3 (Soto 3), Okk 1 (Blaz 1).
Ties: 4
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GPS Sports Calendar
February 2023
- SU
- MO
- TU
- WE
- TH
- FR
- SA
Events for January
1st
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
ISA BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for February
2nd
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
ISA TRACK & FIELD MEET
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
IIAAG TENNIS LEAGUE
Events for February
3rd
ISA TRACK & FIELD MEET
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
TRITONS BASEBALL INVITATIONAL PLAYOFFS
Events for February
4th
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
Events for February
6th
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL
ISA BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for February
7th
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
IIAAG TENNIS LEAGUE
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for February
8th
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
ISA BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for February
9th
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
ISA TRACK & FIELD MEET
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
IIAAG TENNIS LEAGUE
Events for February
10th
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
ISA TRACK & FIELD MEET
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL
TRITONS BASEBALL INVITATIONAL FINALS
Events for February
11th
Events for February
13th
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
ISA BOYS BASKETBALL
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for February
14th
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
IIAAG TENNIS LEAGUE
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for February
15th
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
ISA BOYS BASKETBALL
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
Events for February
16th
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
ISA TRACK & FIELD MEET
IIAAG TENNIS LEAGUE
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
Events for February
17th
ISA TRACK & FIELD MEET
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
Events for February
18th
World Athletics Cross Country Championships
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
Events for February
19th
SPRINT TRIATHLON, PACIFIC GAMES QUALIFIER
MONSTER ENERGY MOTOCROSS ROUND 2
Events for February
20th
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
ISA BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for February
21st
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
IIAAG TENNIS LEAGUE
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for February
22nd
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
ISA BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for February
23rd
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
IIAAG TENNIS LEAGUE
Events for February
24th
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL QUARTERFINALS
Events for February
24th
Events for February
25th
Events for February
27th
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
ISA BOYS BASKETBALL SEMIFINALS
ISA GIRLS SOCCER SEMIFINALS
Events for February
28th
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL FINALS
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE SEMIFINALS
IIAAG TENNIS LEAGUE
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL SEMIFINALS

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