Sandburg reaches finals

Updated: June 4, 2011 10:45PM

Sean Airola said he would wear a new outfit during Saturday’s championship of the boys state volleyball tournament at Hoffman Estates.

But even his own players questioned that wisdom.

“He’s superstitious,” said Sandburg middle hitter Bill Siroky.

Airola, who throughout the state tournament has worn a tie the color of the team his team defeated in the previous round, wore a green tie Saturday during his team’s semifinal match against Glenbard West. Friday in the quarterfinals, Sandburg beat New Trier, whose school colors are green, blue and grey.

Airola could opt to wear the same green tie Saturday night after Sandburg (38-3) turned back Glenbard West (forest green and white) 25-17, 25-23 in the semifinals. But he apparently has other plans.

“No, I”m wearing a totally different outfit tonight,” Airola said. “I’m going with Sandburg blue.”

Sandburg reach the championship match despite a dogged defensive effort from the Hilltoppers, who were digging everything the taller Eagles sent their way.

“Kevin McGinnis is an all-state libero and we knew he was going to come out and pick anything we threw at him,” Siroky said. “I think what really prepared us for that is a guy like Mark Krause, our defensive specialist and back-up libero.

“He doesn’t start and he doesn’t get a lot of credit, but we go against that every day in practice,” Siroky added. “We’re not used to celebrating even after we get a really tough kill. It’s nothing new to us that they bring great defense and played a hecukva game.”

Glenbard West (33-8) broke a 10-10 tie in Game 2 with a 9-4 run highlighted by kills from Chris Glotzbach and Ian Lawson. But Sandburg answered with a 10-3 run behind the serving of Scott Fifer and a pair of kills by Andrew Muys.

Joe Zaccharia’s second kill of the match pulled Glenbard West within 24-23, but a kill by Jason Fox closed out the game and the match.for Sandburg

Muys led Sandburg with 11 kills, Kevin Groeper added six kills and Fox had five kills. Six-foot-9 middle Tommy Carmondy added four kills and Scott Fifer had 25 assists.

“We were ready for them, but they came out stronger and they had a little more firepower,” McGinnis siad. “But I think we put a fight just like we did last time. They didn’t tip too much. They kept hitting at us and I think after first game we just starting digging them more and more. That kept us in the game.”

Lawson led Glenbard West with 13 kills and Adam Lepold had five. McGinnis led the Hilltoppers with seven digs.

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