Fans of boys' volleyball in the Marmonte League should take a magic marker, find a calendar and circle May 6.

On that night all eight Marmonte teams will play their final league matches, and it's a good bet a championship could be on the line.

The race for a Marmonte title is wide open, as Royal, Westlake and Thousand Oaks are considered early-season favorites.

Agoura, Simi Valley and Newbury Park should also battle for the top spot.

"There hasn't been this kind of parity since 2003," Royal head coach Dean Borth said.

"On any given day in this league, anyone can just about beat anyone else. Whoever wins the title won't have just one or two great players; they'll have played the best as a team."

The Highlanders, who won the title last year with a 14-0 record, return five starters including reigning league MVP Trevor Jones. Borth said Jones, who plays opposite, has added 10 pounds of muscle.

"He's been eating like a horse and has really grown to be a stronger player," Borth said. "He's jumping higher than ever, and opponents are going to need helmets because he's hitting the ball so hard."

Royal won its first two league matches and has received major contributions from libero Matt Janke, outside hitter Tyler Petersen, middle blockers Danny Preece and Jeff Svoboda, as well as setter Jerame Maas.

Borth called Maas the team's "floor general" and a "gamechanger."

Thousand Oaks lost its first league game to Newbury Park but was missing two of its top players—outside hitter Michael Taxter and setter Chad Kingi— who were still competing with the basketball squad.

Head coach Andrew Vazquez said Kingi may be the Marmonte's most underrated player.

"At 6-foot-5, Kingi still moves faster than most setters," Vazquez said. "His skill level is uncharted and, in my opinion, he's one of the five best setters in the country."

Senior outside hitter Sean Foley, sophomore outside hitter Austin Kingi, junior setter Matt Lopez, and liberos Nick Waite and Andrew Jacocks are other key components for TOHS.

The team that made the biggest strides last season was Agoura, whose postseason berth was a first for the program, according to head coach Marla O'Hara.

AHS got off to a quick start by winning the Ventura Tournament for the second year in a row.

The Chargers are led by returning senior Michael Hatch, who O'Hara said has been playing more aggressively in the middle.

Seniors Lars Dion-Kindem, Adam Weiss, Ansel Rosenberg, Justin Rushing and Ross Meyer have played well, but O'Hara said the biggest reason for Agoura's winning ways has been the play of sophomore libero Andrew Sato.

"Sato has taken us to a whole new level," O'Hara said. "In the past, the libero position has been our weakest spot, but not anymore."

Westlake should also contend, provided the Warriors put up caution tape around their gym.

After missing the playoffs last season due to numerous injuries, WHS suffered some bad luck early this year when senior Jake Kneller re-injured his ankle. His return is questionable.

Picking up the slack in Kneller's absence has been senior opposite Scott Kevorken.

The Westlake starting lineup also features three sophomores— Keats Stanley, Adrian Powditch and Travis Magorien.

"This is the youngest team I've had in seven years at Westlake," head coach Doug Magorien said. "I've never even had two sophomores start, let alone three."

Simi Valley hasn't made the playoffs since 2003. SVHS is led by head coach Chris Reyes, who was a member of the '03 squad.

Thus far, Reyes has enjoyed watching the Pioneers' tenacity.

"More than anything, we frustrate teams," Reyes said. "We're scrappy, and we never give up in a match."

The Pioneers' top players are senior opposite Josh Lehtonen and senior outside hitter Jack Peachey. Jon Tol is the libero, while seniors Neal Morrissette and Jeremy Lehtonen provide a big presence in the middle. Senior Matt Jordan is the setter.

Newbury Park also hopes to contend for a league title.

Senior outside hitter Micah Smith and Stephen Santos, a junior that plays in the middle, lead the Panthers. Junior Royce Wells is the team's setter, while junior Kevin Alvarez is the libero. Nick Wargnier, an outside hitter, had 17 kills in the Panthers' early-season win over TOHS.

Moorpark and Calabasas appear to be a year or two away from competing with the Marmonte's elite.

Brendan Hanson returns to coach the boys' team at MHS for the first time since 2004. He also serves as the head coach for the girls' squad.

"I'm always optimistic, and I'd like to think we have a shot at the playoffs, but my main goal is to see us improve our 1-13 league record from a year ago," Hanson said.

Hanson's top players include junior outside hitter Dylan Shigekawa, sophomore middle blocker Matt Madison, senior libero Justin Nuckles and sophomore setter Matt Mockenhapt.

Calabasas is led by seniors Matt Goss and Jordan Cohen, along with juniors Ethan Spiro and Andrew Gillis.