Scouting the Fox Valley area's boys volleyball teams

Bartlett Hawks

Coach: John Breines (10th season)

2007 record: 16-17 overall, 5-4 Upstate Eight Conference

Top returning players: Seniors John Campolo (6-4, MB), Scott Kuehn (5-11, OH), Jason Theobald (6-2, S), Chris Guimon (6-3, OH), Sam Hillis (6-1, Opp.)

Key newcomers: Juniors Kris Kuehn (5-10, Opp.), Tim Rendall (5-11, S)

Outlook: Breines, the dean of area boys volleyball coaches, takes a team into the 2008 season that is loaded with experience. "We've got 8 seniors back and most of them have played club for 3 or 4 years," said Breines. "This group has plenty of potential and experience, maybe as much as any group I've had. We've got guys who are vastly improved over last year." Theobald has drawn rave reviews at the setter position. "Our setter runs a good offense and is accurate which helps our hitters," said Breines. Scott Kuehn possesses a 30-inch vertical jump. "A lot of guys have gotten better and a lot of guys have really stepped up," said Breines. Bartlett competed in a summer league at Great Lakes Center and finished third, right behind Neuqua Valley. "That's the best we've finished in years," said Breines. "Hopefully we can keep getting better. We've got experience and our guys are quicker than last year and more sure of themselves."

Elgin Maroons

Coach: Keith Foster (1st season)

2007 record: 5-24

Top returning players: Seniors Ryan Johnson (6-2, OH), Gustavo Herrera (6-4, MB), juniors Michael Rudolph (6-1, S), Francisco Vega (5-9, Lib.)

Key newcomers: Juniors Eric Brandenburg (6-2, MB), Marcus Redburg (6-4, MB)

Outlook: Foster is one of a number of new coaches in the Upstate Eight Conference. He was an assistant in the program for 3 years prior to taking over this season. Foster is excited about his team's offensive prospects. "I think we will be very strong on offense," said Foster. Johnson has been moved to the outside. "Moving Ryan to the outside, we'll get him set more," said Foster. "He's the type of kid who has the potential to be an all-area and all-conference player this year. He's a star who could be a starting outside hitter on any team in the conference." Brandenburg and Vega are the team's co-captains. "We've got some great leadership on this team," said Foster. "The mark of a good team is having good leadership." Foster feels this group has the opportunity to tack on additional victories this year. "We'd like to at least double our wins from last year, if not more," said Foster. "We've only got TWO seniors this year. We're excited about this year and we've got a good future ahead."

Larkin Royals

Coach: Henry Graack (1st season)

2007 record: 9-21

Top returning players: Seniors Brad Potts (OH), Daniel Dominguez (RS), Brendyn Dobbeck (Lib.-S), Joe Leganski (OH-DS)

Key newcomers: Seniors Mike Jetel (MB-OH), Alan Rosenburg (MB), junior Chase Sund (MB)

Outlook: Graack takes over the team after spending the previous 2 years as an assistant in the program. Defense should be a big help for the Royals this season. "We are quick on defense," said Graack. "We should be solid at serve-receive. With our defensive hustle we should make up for our lack of height." Potts is a key cog on the team and is in his third varsity season. Graack is optimistic about being able to improve on last year's 9-21 mark. "This is a tight-knit group," said Graack. "They've played together throughout the 4 years. That's a big positive. They are a group of very hard working kids. I'm looking forward to an improvement." Graack also feels playing in the Upstate Eight Conference will also help his team's progress. "With such tough competition in our conference, we should get better as the season moves along."

St. Edward Green Wave

Coach: Jaime Walton (1st season)

Top returning players: Seniors Will Lytle (6-2, MB), Tyler Vaughan (5-11, OH), Carlo Lacap (6-1, MB), juniors Miguel Martinez (5-11, S), Lucas Belcher (5-10, OH), Jim Waclawik (6-3, MB)

Key newcomers: Junior Luke McCullagh (5-9, S), Jack Cholewa (5-8, Lib.)

Outlook: Walton, the successful St. Edward girls volleyball coach, has added the boys head coaching duties and inherits a team with a strong group of returning players. "A lot of the guys had varsity experience last year," said Walton. "It's a good group of players that seem to work real well as a team. They are very coachable. It's been good so far with everything. We've thrown a lot of stuff at them. It's been a lot of skill work." St. Edward opened the season with losses to Montini and Joliet Catholic--contests that shed some light on St. Edward's defensive ability. "We played two pretty good teams," said Walton. "I think our defense will start to get pretty consistent and will pick up and be one of our strong points this season."

South Elgin Storm

Coach: Joni Melahn (3rd season)

2007 record: 3-24

Top returning players: Seniors Kevin Mui (OH), Tony Thomas (MB-OH), Brandon Erath (OH), Jim McMahan (MB), Robbie Vasquez (S), junior Doug Sawyer (MB)

Key newcomers: Senior Josh Lopez (MB), junior Pranil Patel, sophomore Andrew Gleason (OH)

Outlook: Melahn's team as of press time had already come within 1 victory of last year's entire total. "We're hoping to get more wins and we're hoping to place in a tournament or two," said Melahn. "When all of our guys play at the level they should be playing at, we're a team that can compete with other teams." Having players with multiple years of experience in the program should also pay dividends for the Storm. "It's nice having 3-year players with you," said Melahn. "We definitely have the skill this year to do a lot of nice things." South Elgin will be formidable in the middle with Sawyer and McMahan. "I would definitely say our middle hitting is strong," said Melahn. "Doug and Jim were the starting middles last year and only got stronger. The key is the pass up to the setter. If we do that well, we're able to attack from the middle. I think if we are able to serve-receive well enough to get the ball to the middles, we will be able to open up our outsides for more kills this year." McMahan is a returning all-conference performer who had 91 kills and hit .392 last year as a junior, but according to Melahn, is currently sidelined (discipline). Gleason came up as a freshman last year and started in the team's regional match.

Streamwood Sabres

Coach: David Buehring (1st season)

2007 record: 15-17

Top returning players: Seniors Louis Colletti (6-1, S), Kevin Wohlhart (5-10, OH)

Key newcomers: Senior Sean Harring (6-2, MB), sophomore Fabian Ramos (5-10, OH)

Outlook: Buehring, who coached girls volleyball previously at Bloomington High School, takes the controls of the Streamwood boys program. "I expect a whole lot of improvement this year," said Buehring. "We've got a group that catches on quickly. Hard work and commitment will be essential." Buehring would like to see his team develop different defensive strategies and assemble an offense with multiple threats. "We're defensively sound," said Buehring. "We're a scrappy team that can get a lot of tough balls up. Right now our defense is strong. Offensively, we're still discovering different possibilities and looking to see who will step up."