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RedHawks back at full strength, prevail
Updated: April 25, 2011 6:28AM
Dealing with a key injury to a starter in the team's state championship run last season, Marist's depth proved to be a deciding factor in winning the programs second title.
This season, the RedHawks have similarly dealt with injuries to several starters, but back at full strength this weekend, Marist won the Brother Rice Smack Attack, capping off the tourney with a 25-23, 25-22 win over Glenbrook North Saturday at St. Xavier.
"Me and Jimmy Mead had been out, but it's all about other people stepping up and making a difference," said Marist's Kevin Morrison. We know we can rely on those guys, and were a deeper team because of it which definitely helped us in this tournament.
Mead had 10 kills and four blocks for Marist (20-3) in the championship match with Morrison adding seven kills. Garrett Dempsey added 23 assists, Sean Connelly had five kills, Tony Natalino four kills, and Kevin Murphy contributing with 10 digs.
"This is probably the best passing and serve-receive team I've ever had," said Marist coach Bob St. Leger. When you've got that and a setter like Garrett, we're going to be okay as long as that stays consistent."
Taking the first game, Marist was able to stay just ahead of the Spartans throughout, closing the opener with a Natalino tip kill at the net.
"We played a lot better defensively today," St. Leger said. Our blocking was sporadic where we'd get five in a row and then go 10 points without one."
The RedHawks opened up with a 12-5 lead in the second, but Glenbrook North (15-5) had several charges left in the tank. The Spartans chipped the lead away to just two points following a Kyle Bedford kill at 22-20.
But after a North service error and a Patrick Bedford kill, Marist's two returning from injuries stepped up. Mead and Morrison had a kill apiece to close out the match and claim the championship.
"It was an up and down tournament for us, and we didn't always play our best," Morrison said. "We've got to get more consistent, but we did win, which is nice, and we showed what we can do."
Glen Song had eight kills for Glenbrook North to go with efforts from Connor Bolan (14 digs), Danny Slutsky (20 assists), and seven kills apiece from Scott Schwartz and Luke Jacobson.
"We started off the week with a tough loss, and we could have caved for the rest of the week, but we came back," Glenbrook North coach Chris Cooper said. "We're getting better, and this is a fun tournament because we get to see teams we might not see that often."
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