Boys volleyball: Scouting Lake County
ANTIOCH
Coach: Jamie Atkinson (12th season)
Last season: 15-13, lost to Warren in Warren regional play-in
Top returning players: Kristian Jimenez (Sr. OH), Cole Krizanovic (Sr. RS), Joey Whittall (Jr. RS)
Newcomers: Dominic Scornavacco (Fr.)
Outlook: Antioch is looking forward to a great season filled with lots of new talent. "This year brings a large class of juniors and first-time varsity players to the starting rotation mixed in with some veterans," coach Jamie Atkinson said. "We have depth at every position and will be using players with multiple sport backgrounds to be faster and stronger than years past." Kristian Jimenez, a four-year varsity player, looks to lead the Sequoits from all over the court, and if preseason is any indicator he will be a force in the front row. Antioch will also be led by junior setters Kyle Jilly and Christian Ortiz. The back row will feature senior Ryan Glassman. "The middles are young but bring a great blocking foundation to the already strong front row," Atkinson said. Freshman Dominic Scornavacco shows a great deal of court awareness and strength, Atkinson added. The depth in the program leaves the Sequoits feeling optimistic about the season.
CARMEL
Coach: Kevin Nylen (11th season)
Last season: 20-9, lost to Warren in Warren regional semifinals
Top returning players: Jackson Ptasienski (Sr. OH), Mike Scott (Jr. MH), Austin James (Sr., S), Shawn Novak (Sr. DS), Jack Teehan (Sr. MH), Sean Seidl (Jr. DS)
Newcomers: Josh Azucena (Senior DS/L), Shayne Henderson (Jr. L/DS), Jimmy Harvey (Sr. MH/OPP), Nolan Feeney (Sr. OH), Camden Strutzel (Jr. MH)
Outlook: Returning all-area outside hitter Jackson Ptasienski stands 6 feet 4 and is ready to help lead the Corsairs to another successful season. "He's a powerful multi-tool player," coach Kevin Nylen said. "He has a high volleyball IQ and is a tremendous leader. Has made himself an even better player this year than he was last year. Ptasienski had 120 kills as a junior. Mike Scott, a 6-7 middle, was all-ESCC as a sophomore last year. "Mike is incredibly athletic with a great vertical," Nylen said. "He has continued to improve after an outstanding sophomore season (.411 hitting efficiency, 93 kills, 43 blocks) and will be a big contributor both offensively and defensively." Austin James stands 6 feet and will set the offense for the first time. "Outstanding communicator, facilitator and leader on the court," Nylen said. "Will have a lot of weapons to choose from." Defensive specialist Shawn Novak "will look to have a big impact both as a passer in serve receive and as a back row offensive option," Nylen said. Jack Teehan (6-1 middle/opposite) is undersized," Nylen said, "but very athletic on the court" and can play multiple positions. Sean Seidl (5-10 DS) will be sidelined for at least a portion of this season as he recovers from an ACL tear suffered during soccer season in the fall. "We lost several great players to graduation but return an outstanding core with a ton of experience and leadership," Nylen said. The Corsairs have 10 seniors, and Ptasienski, Teehan and Novak are returning starters. Carmel has had back-to-back 20-win seasons. "We have all of the things that you would want out of a team ready to make that leap - athleticism, height, leadership, character, volleyball IQ, depth - plus all the requisite volleyball skills," Nylen said. "We look to be pretty potent offensively and are excited."
GRANT
Coach: Michele Keenan (second season)
Last season: lost to Carmel in Warren regional play-in
Top returning players: JP Gizowski (Sr. S), Robbie Matayka (Sr. OH), Andrew Ryzcek (Sr. MH)
Newcomers: Derek Kolb (Jr. OH), Ian Fox (Jr. MH)
Outlook: Look for the Bulldogs to be better defensively. "We have more height this season, which will boost our block and help our defenders," coach Michele Keenan said. "The newcomers bring a lot of energy, competitiveness and confidence. Add the seniors' desire to win and we should have an exciting season."
GRAYSLAKE CENTRAL
Coach: Dan Erlenbaugh (third season)
Last season: 11-21, lost to Zion-Benton in Libertyville regional play-in
Top returning players: Jameson Loeffler (Sr. L), Austin Rockel (Sr. OH), Javier Ortiz (Sr. S), Cameron Tonkery (Sr. OPP)
Newcomers: Isaac Dahlstrom (Jr.), Ethan Bond (Jr.), Steve Reinoso (Jr.), Nick Murphy (Jr.), Emmanuel Eugene (So.), Kaleb Patrick (So.)
Outlook: The Rams look to improve after winning 11 matches last season, which was their third as a program. "Now that we have a few years under our belts, I hope to be more competitive in our conference," coach Dan Erlenbaugh said. "We will look to our returning players for leadership, mainly senior libero Jameson Loeffler. Jameson has really grown into a leadership role. I hope our other returning players - Rockel, Ortiz and Tonkery - can provide some leadership to our newcomers to the team. We will be pretty balanced with a mix of seniors, juniors and sophomores playing. In years past we have been rather senior-heavy. I am very excited for this season to start. I think it will be our best one yet."
GRAYSLAKE NORTH
Coach: Nikki Kirchway (third season)
Last season: 10-20, lost to Deerfield in Deerfield regional semifinals
Top returning players: Nick Anello (Sr.)
Newcomers: Marshal Diep (Sr.), Jarod Hesse (Jr.), Sam Inmon (So.)
Outlook: This is the Knights' third year as a program. "We graduated almost the entire varsity team from last year and now have a young team," coach Nikki Kirchway said. "Although we may lack varsity level playing experience, our attacking and passing are very quick and solid. Our goals for this season are to work as a team, be competitive in every match and be consistent. Our go-to hitters will be Jarod Hesse and Marshal Diep who will help lead this young team to be competitive and to win along with setting from Nick Anello and passing from Sam Inmon."
LAKES
Coach: Kevin Glabowicz (second season)
Last season: 23-12, lost to Grayslake North in Deerfield regional play-in
Top returning players: Christopher Leyva (Sr.), Connor Clowers (Jr.), Eric Jones (Sr.)
Newcomers: Tyler Donovan (So.), Clayton Nix (So.), Brody Solbrig (So.)
Outlook: The Eagles return only two players from their 2017 NLCC championship roster. They graduated four all-conference players. "A strong duo of Chris Leyva and Connor Clowers will provide early season leadership on the court for the 13 newcomers to the varsity roster," coach Kevin Glabowicz said. Despite the new faces, Glabowicz is confident the Eagles can return to a high level of play quickly. "We can't replace the senior leadership that we lost from last year," he said. "But we do have a long and athletic squad from top to bottom that has a really high ceiling once we learn to work together." The team welcomes sophomores Clayton Nix (outside hitter) and Brody Solbrig (middle), while senior Eric Jones and sophomore Tyler Donovan look primed to run the offense at the setter position.
LAKE ZURICH
Coach: Lesly Ravenscraft (eighth season)
Last season: lost to Palatine in Fremd regional semifinals
Top returning players: Bartosz Wielgos, Marcel Wiecnik
Newcomers: Lukas Pytlak, Evan Bajerski, Logan Schaedel, Daniel Young
Outlook: The Bears graduated all-area players Jeff Carmody, Jake Gorey and Alex Krasowski who helped the Bears advance to state two years ago. "While we have some key returning players, we also have some upcoming younger players who can make a huge impact on our success," coach Lesly Ravenscraft said. "We are always looking to go as far as we can in the season and looking for a return to the state tournament."
LIBERTYVILLE
Coach: Jenny Smith (fifth season)
Last season: 33-3, won Libertyville regional, lost to Hersey in Palatine sectional final
Top returning players: Jack Stevens (Sr. OH), Brendan Cook (Sr. OH), Colin Hawkinson (Sr. OH), Mark Demaree (Sr. MH), Ryan Winiger (Sr. L/DS), Sammy Stortz (Sr. DS), Carter Schaffnit (Sr. S)
Newcomers: Zach Ford (Sr. MH), Brendan Duffy (Jr. MH), Alex Weick (Jr. OH), Kurt Feiereisel (Jr. OH), Kevin Villanueva (Sr. OH), Matt Apgar (Jr. S)
Outlook: The Wildcats graduated libero Sam Kharasch (North Central College), who was the captain of the Daily Herald All-Area team, along with Shane Feiereisel and Ryan Hirschel. But there's talent back in seniors Jack Stevens (286 kills last year) and Brendan Cook (243 kills). The Wildcats won 33 matches last season, captured the NSC championship and advanced to the Palatine sectional final. "We haven't seen this much growth within 12 months since ... ever," coach Jenny Smith said. "Most people will remember the kids we graduated last year, but when you look at our team, you will see experienced athletes; many of which have been on a very successful varsity for three years." Stevens is stronger than ever, Smith added, and recently committed to Ohio State. "He is not only an offensive weapon from any spot on the court, he's lights out on defense as well," Smith said. Cook will play football for North Dakota State and hits hard in this sport too. "He has so much in his arsenal of shots," Smith said. "Normally known for his power shots that bounce to the rafters, he's developed a great finesse game, too." Mark Demaree returns for his third season as a starting middle. "We expect more of the power, closing speed and blocking prowess that we have seen in the past," Smith said. New in the middle are Zach Ford and Brendan Duffy. "Both are great at reading setters and are throwing up huge blocks," Smith said. "Colin Hawkinson has improved tremendously over the last year, commanding a starting position with his speed and strength. He had great experiences last season, and we expect him to be hungry to put it to use this season." Defensively, the Wildcats return Ryan Winiger and Sammy Stortz. "Ryan has been an important piece of our success the last two seasons (and) is stepping into the libero role," Smith said. "He is our best player at reading offenses and reacting to them." Stortz is returning to a larger role as primary defensive specialist and is "machine-like" in his serve receive, Smith said. Carter Schaffnit will set. New to the mix are juniors Alex Weick and Kurt Feiereisel. Senior Kevin Villanueva took a season off due to injury but is eager to get back into the swing of things on the outside, Smith said, and Matt Apgar (Jr. S) is working hard to develop the team's current and future attackers. "We're ready to see what unfolds this season," Smith said.
MUNDELEIN
Coach: George Dressen Jr. (17th season)
Last season: 14-18, lost to Rolling Meadows in Libertyville regional play-in
Key returning players: Ben Arebalo (Sr. L), Steven Miritello (Sr. S), Abram Nazario (Jr. OH), Marc Rey (Jr. MB), Martin Carrillo (Jr., OH/RS), Eric Morales (Jr. OH)
Newcomers: Tyler Vander Ploeg (Jr. MB), Moises Huerta (Jr. OH), Joshua No (Jr.), Samuel Jeon (So.), Andrei Varanic (So.)
Outlook: Libero Ben Arebalo is a two-time all-conference player and made all-area as a junior. The Mustangs also have experience in Abram Nazario, Steven Miritello and Marc Rey. Coach George Dressen Jr. says his team is looking to win 20 matches and play well in the state series.
STEVENSON
Coach: Eric Goolish (fifth season)
Last season: 25-13, won Fremd regional, lost to Libertyville in Palatine sectional semifinals
Top returning players: Leo Chen (Sr. OH), Matt Cliffer (Sr. OH), Will Sorenson (Jr. S/OH), Haddon Kay (Sr. S), Alex Bian (Sr.)
Newcomers: Justin Ross (So.), Gavin Meng (So.)
Outlook: The Patriots won a regional championship last year and return a group that includes Leo Chen, Matt Cliffer, Haddon Kay and Will Sorenson. "We are excited with our mix of experienced returners and committed newcomers," coach Eric Goolish said. "We have a nucleus of five returning players with a dozen years of varsity experience that have all been improving their game during the off-season." Returning setters Haddon Kay and Will Sorenson will be integral in the Patriots' success again, as they make both sides of the net at practice play at a very high level," Goolish added. Joining Chen and Cliffer in the front row will be newcomers Gavin Meng and Justin Ross. "They had fantastic seasons in our program last year and have since played at two very competitive local clubs," Goolish said. "This year's squad is focused on having offensive balance, great ball control, and excellent team defense."
VERNON HILLS
Coach: Chris Curry (18th season)
Last season: 16-20, lost to Lake Forest in Deerfield regional play-in
Top returning players: Derrick Jones (Sr. MH/OH), Drake DeBoer (Sr. OH), Sammy Adkisson (Jr. L), John Otoo (Sr. MH)
Newcomers: Joey Reyes (Jr. MH), Krys Han (So. OH), Jonathan Wallach (Sr. S)
Outlook: Coach Chris Curry says last season "didn't pan out in terms of wins," but while the Cougars had a losing record, the players maintained a strong work ethic. "That group of kids was great to work with," Curry said. "They never stopped working to improve. We lost a lot of long 3-setters, but they didn't let it affect their work." Back for the Cougars is all-area hitter/blocker Derrick Jones (232 kills last year) along with Drake DeBoer, Sammy Adkisson and John Otto. "This year, so far the energy has been tremendous," Curry said. "There's a bunch of guys fighting for playing time, working to get ready. We'll spend a lot of time early on trying to find the right combinations. The good news is we have a lot of versatile athletes - most of them can handle multiple positions. We're a little short on experience, though we are likely stronger at each hitting position than we were last year. Setting is wide open. We graduated Jake Fiarito, and he was tremendous. There are a number of guys who might take his place, and they'll all get chances to show what they can do. We play a really tough schedule, but the guys understand it's a process. We might be rough early, but our goal is always to be at our best come playoff time, and that usually works out for us."
WARREN
Coach: Yun Chen (14th season)
Last season: lost to Hersey in Warren regional final
Top returning players: Ethan Fabrie (Sr. OH/RS), Caden Fox (Sr. L), Freddy Harris (Sr. MH), Alex Jiang (Sr. MH), Ian Schilling (Sr. OH), Kyle Wells (Sr. OH)
Newcomers: Alex Cretors (Jr. RS/OH/MH), Peyton Hines (Jr. RS/MH), Christian McCaughey (Jr. DS), Bryan Petty (Sr. RS), Taylor Vander Jeugdt (Jr. S), Andrew Wagan (So. S), Joseph Zdarsky (Jr. DS)
Outlook: The Blue Devils lost a lot, including all-area hitters Brett Bauer and Mihajlo Gomez, but they return all-area players Kyle Wells (252 kills, 68 aces last year) and Alex Jiang (133 kills). Wells is a three-year varsity player. Three-sport star Ian Schilling moves from setter to outside hitter. Caden Fox got time as a defensive specialist last season, and Freddy Harris got time in the middle. "We have a few players who can play multiple positions," coach Yun Chen said. "That will give us some flexibility to be successful this season."