Barrington’s Pipeline sends talent to nationals

Updated: July 19, 2011 11:54AM

In its first year in existence, Lake Barrington’s Pipeline volleyball club will be headed to Minneapolis this weekend to compete in USA Volleyball’s national tournament.

Half of the under-17 squad is made up of Barrington High School players — including returning Broncos standouts Tommy Leonard, Austin Czarnecki, Charlie Kingwill and Jeff Hochstein — as well as talent from neighboring communities.

Gearing up for USA Volleyball’s Boys Junior National Championships, the team played two warm-up tournaments this summer and took home a pair of trophies. The championship hardware was secured Saturday when Pipeline went undefeated through a 12-team field at the Adversity tournament in Vernon Hills.

The recent success has shot the local team up to a top-28 ranking in the country.

“We’ve proved we are an elite team in the area,” said Leonard, a middle blocker. “It definitely gives us confidence going into nationals when we will face some of the best in the country.”

Leonard added that everyone on the Pipeline team has another level in him to find.

“I’ve learned that when we all flow together as a team we play better and are a very tough team to beat,” he said.

Even though no one on the Pipeline roster has played in the 36-team national competition before, Czarnecki said he thinks the team has a great shot of advancing deep.

“We have very good team chemistry, we work together well and we have the talent,” he said. “I think we can go top 10.”

However the national tourney unfolds over the July 4 holiday week, Czarnecki said the experience can only help prepare the Broncos contingent for next year’s high school season.

“It’s great to work with the same people all year round,” he explained. “That’s why we feel so confident during the school season. We can trust each other because we’ve played together so much.”

Czarnecki, who plays the libero defensive specialist position, is looking to improve upon his all-conference and all-area performance this spring.

“When you play against great competition, it’s always great because it pushes you to be better,” he said. “Tough competition forces you to give your all and then some.”

The Pipeline 18-year-old team, comprised of many Barrington graduates, will also travel to Minneapolis this weekend and compete in the non-qualified, club team bracket.

“If both of (our teams) make a showing at nationals it will show how much volleyball talent we have in the area,” Leonard concluded.

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