Naperville Sun preseason boys volleyball capsules

Updated: April 2, 2011 9:24AM

Benet

Coach: Amy Van Eekeren

Last year: 17-19 overall, 6-3 in the East Suburban Catholic Conference, lost to Downers Grove North in the regional semifinals.

Top players: Bobby Wehrli, outside hitter, junior; Luke Ladowski, outside hitter, junior; Kevin Weithers, middle hitter, junior; Patrick Dougherty, setter, sophomore; Nathan Parisi, outside hitter, junior; Matt Conroy, middle hitter, junior.

Outlook: Last year, the Redwings showed flashes of how good they could be, but they were young. Now, with a year's experience they'll be able to deliver more consistently.

The team features a pair of dynamic hitters in Wehrli and Ladowski, who should both attract a lot of all-area attention, and this year Van Eekeren has more experienced talent to complement them. Dougherty is young but he brings smarts and athleticism at setter. "We're quick and we can jump," said Van Eekeren. "And we have great energy and enthusiasm. The keys to our team will be our passing and defense, but from what we've seen we should be strong in those areas this year. Ladowski and Wehrli are stars and winners."

Metea Valley

Coach: John Aister

Top players: Chad Martin, setter, junior; Martin Krasuski, outside hitter, sophomore; Peter Hebda, middle hitter, junior; Adam Miller, middle hitter, junior; Shiva Desai, middle hitter, sophomore.

Outlook: The new varsity program should be competitive right out of the gate as the Mustangs welcome back several prominent club players who led the jayvee team to a 13-13 record last year. "We have a good mix of height and club experience," said Aister. "We have some talent and the potential to surprise some people. We're not using our youth as an excuse."

Krasuski is a team-leader and he's really grown as a player since last year. Setter Martin and middle hitter Hebda also excelled in club in the offseason. The Mustangs are looking to build a great volleyball tradition. The Upstate Eight with opponents such as Neuqua Valley, Waubonsie Valley and Lake Park will provide challenging tests.

Naperville Central

Coach: Jeff Danbom

Last year: 18-19 overall, 7-7 fourth in DuPage Valley Conference, lost to St. Francis in the regional final

Top players: Albert Lei, setter, junior; Zach Madsen, outside hitter, senior; Sarvesh Somisetty, outside hitter, senior; Joe Frantik, middle hitter, senior; Nirmal Desai, libero, senior

Outlook: First-year coach Danbom inherits a middling team that lost some key people to graduation, but the cupboard is far from bare. Lei is a 6-foot-5 setter who is a threat all over the court. He was thrown in as a freshman starter last year and the experience should show this year as he's coming along as a team-leader. Somisetty and Madsen were regulars last year and they bring poise and athleticism to the outside. The key to the team will be the development of last year's reserves and this year's newcomers. "Our focus will be on defense and speed this year," said Danbom. "We have a good nucleus. We're in a strong conference but I'm optimistic that we'll be competitive."

Naperville North

Coach: Nate Bornancin

Last year: 28-9 overall, 12-2 second place in the DuPage Valley Conference, lost to Downers Grove North in the regional final.

Top players: Shane Witmer, outside hitter, senior; Danny Boryca, libero, senior; Ryan Loughlin, middle hitter, senior; Steve Massoni, setter, senior; Henry Cheatham, outside hitter, senior; John Gorey, setter, senior; Spencer Sauter, outside hitter, junior.

Outlook: After a slow start due to injuries last year, Bornancin knew his Huskies would be good once they got healthy. And they delivered. By the end of the season the Huskies were one of the stronger teams in the area. Eight seniors return led by Witmer, one of the top hitters in the state, and scrappy libero Boryca, who sets the emotional tone. They were both all-DVC last year. The team has plenty of experience and leadership. "We have been building with this group of seniors for three years and now it's time for them to prove they can be successful through the postseason," Bornancin said. Sauter has grown to 6-foot-6 and refined his game; he should make an impact.

Neuqua Valley

Coach: Erich Mendoza

Last year: 28-11, 8-1 tied for Upstate Eight Conference championship, lost to Minooka in the sectional semifinal

Top players: Jon Storm, outside hitter, senior; Conner Dart, outside hitter, senior; Alex Blackwell, setter, senior; Zach Gilligan, libero, senior; Tanner McKeown, middle hitter, senior

Outlook: The Wildcats went through some growing pains last year and still managed to tie for the conference title. This year almost everyone is back. Setter Alex Blackwell is a top-flight quarterback and Storm is as good a go-to guy as there is in the state. Storm can be a dominant force and Blackwell has great hands and he does a great job of making the right decisions. The challenge will be to diversify the attack and make sure the middles are always involved. Gilligan is emerging as a top-level libero. "Our guys are hungrier this year," said Mendoza. "We have depth and I can trust just about everyone on the court. Last year there was a big defensive drop-off when our starters weren't on the floor."

Waubonsie Valley

Coach: Al Lagger

Last year: 25-11 overall, 8-1 tied for Upstate Eight Conference Championship, lost to Naperville Central in the regional semifinal

Top players: Jordan James, middle hitter, senior; Chris MacFadyen, outside hitter, senior; Luke Furman, setter, sophomore; Sean Keeve, outside hitter, senior; Selby Wilson, outside hitter, senior; Mike Simmons, setter, freshman.

Outlook: The Warriors were another team that overcame a sluggish start and grew into a well-oiled machine. Lagger has great depth and again the Warriors are tall and athletic. MacFadyen and James are all-area candidates and sophomore Furman proved he could lead as a setter in the 6-2 offense last year. Also he's got a year of experience working with the trees in the front line. He's joined by Simmons, this year's freshman setter, who has the poise and confidence to start from the get-go. "We're strong defensively with an experienced group of club players who will do anything to get the ball up," Lagger said. "We're excited about the opportunity to compete this year. It should be an exciting season." - Compiled by Neil Shalin

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