Fremd tops Wheaton Academy, with a soundtrack to match

Appropriately enough, the song "Down" by Jay Sean was played on the PA system between Games 1 and 2 of the boys volleyball regional final at Fremd on Wednesday night.

The host Vikings, the No. 2 seed, were down, literally, and maybe a bit in a spirit, too, after dropping the first game to seventh-seeded Wheaton Academy.

"We were a little," said Fremd junior middle Dan Szwiec. "But this is a mental game, and we knew we were a better than we'd been showing. We went out (in Game 2) and took the momentum back."

And thanks to some incredible defense from senior Justin Sohn and the rest of the Vikings, Fremd was able to turn the tables in a 24-26, 25-17, 25-17 regional title victory over the Warriors.

"After we dropped Game 1," said Sohn, "we just came back with more agression and power. We were pumped up and having fun out there."

Wheaton Academy was the agressor in Game 1. The Warriors, whose tallest starter stands 6-feet-1, gave up a lot in height to Fremd but nothing in heart or hops.

Junior outside hitters Jeremy Lenich (13 kills) and Trevor Adams (9 kills) led the Warriors to the first-game win.

"We may not have a lot of height," said Wheaton Academy coach D.A. Nichols, "but we can jump and the guys have great skills, especially with ball control."

The match's momentrum turned completely around in Game 2 after Sohn entered the lineup. The senior had a couple of awe-inspiring digs to save a couple of points, and all of a sudden Viking players were flying around the court, diving after balls and not letting anything hit the ground.

Fremd (23-12) grabbed a 10-6 advantage in Game 2, Wheaton Academy called time out, and all of sudden the Black Eyed Peas' "I gotta feeling (tonight's gonna be a good night)" was blaring over the loudspeaker.

"That was exciting," said Szwiec. "Our defense was on fire. Pete (Ninchich) was diving out of bounds, Justin was playing awesome - we owe a lot to our defense tonight."

Late kills by Fremd senior Jeff Chappell (13 kills) and setter Steve Maring (41-of-42, 30 assists) closed out Game 2, then Fremd and senior outside hitter Brian Allen took control in the deciding game.

Allen, who was 40-of-44 on attack, hammered 5 of his game-high 15 kills late in Game 3 as Fremd broke it open late to win going away.

"This might have been the best defensive team we've played all year," said Fremd coach Curt Pinley of the Warriors (24-6). "For a while we couldn't put a ball down against them. We had to be patient and wait for the third or fourth hits because the first and second ones weren't going down for kills."

"We were able to stay patient and that turned the momentum around in Game 2, and I thought that by playing such great defense, they might have run out of gas a little on the offensive end."

Wheaton Academy setter Brandon Vanderveen had 25 assists while Lenich added 15 digs and Jack Rose had 12 digs.

Chappell pitched in on the defense end for Fremd with a perfect 16-of-16 on serve receive while junior Kolbe Stenioen had 13 digs for the winners, who hoisted their regional championship trophy to the strains a very familiar, very appropriate song: Kool and the Gang's "Celebration."