Star-studded Tigers win another state title

Wheaton Warrenville South teammates celebrate after beating Buffalo Grove in the state title game.

(Jason Geil/For the Sun-Times)

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Sean Rooney. Ryan Nicklas. Nick Lamoreaux. Doug Burchett. Matt Sayers. Eric Hardek. Brian Williams.

The list of players who have contributed to Wheaton Warrenville South's boys volleyball dynasty continues to grow.

Saturday at Hoffman Estates, Kevin Mueller had six kills, Neill Nystrom had five kills, Rob Samp had four kills and two blocks and Joe Kelly added 18 assists as WW South (34-7) defeated Buffalo Grove 25-15, 25-20 to win its fourth state title in five years and fifth since 2001.

The bad news for the rest of the state? Mueller, Nystrom, Samp and Kelly are juniors.

“Monday we start working again," Mueller said. “Next year we’ll have as many expectations as we had this year. Hopefully we’ll be able to handle them. I really feel we still have work to do. It’s definitely not over.”

It is over for senior outside hitter Hardek and libero Williams. Hardek, who is the only player in state history to be part of three state championship teams, contributed four kills, two aces and an assist on Saturday.

“I had the best career anyone could ask for,” Hardek said. “Winning a state title as a senior is awesome. It doesn’t matter how it happens. I don’t really care how we win.”

After struggling in Friday’s quarterfinals, WW South rallied to beat Providence in Saturday’s first semifinal. In Saturday’s championship game, the Tigers needed no such heroics.

“These guys did an excellent job battling all weekend,” WW South coach Bill Schreier said. “We had an answer for everything Buffalo Grove threw at us.”

Joe Ascher had six kills and Chris Falknor added four kills for Buffalo Grove (31-6), which was making its first appearance in the title game.

“They brought their game,” Ascher said. “You want to be playing your best ball in the state championship game. We didn’t bring it.”

In the semifinals, a block and a kill by Samp (eight kills, four blocks) broke a 22-22 tie in the third game as WW South defeated Providence 20-25, 25-19, 25-23. Eric Daliege and Hayden Grove each had 11 kills for Providence (35-3).

In the second semifinal, Buffalo Grove used an 8-2 run to break a 15-15 tie in the third game and defeat Neuqua Valley 25-23, 20-25, 25-22. Ascher and Falknor each had 11 kills for the Bison. Jake Blackman and Brian Clark each had 11 kills for Neuqua Valley (38-4).

Neuqua defeated Providence 27-25, 25-23 for third place.