Northwest captain: Buffalo Grove's Nick Baronti

There have been almost too many highlights to count in the prep volleyball career of Nick Baronti.

The three-year varsity standout was an integral part of Buffalo Grove teams that went to the state tournament the last three years, taking home third- and second-place trophies, and won 30 straight Mid-Suburban League games without a defeat.

But ask the senior, who earned Mid-Suburban East player of the year honors this season, about possibly his most memorable moment and you only have to look back as far as June 1 of this year.

That's when the Bison defeated Vernon Hills in an epic sectional championship match, besting the Cougars 35-33 in a wild Game 3 to earn another trip to state.

Thanks in large part to Baronti's 17 match kills (along with some well-timed winners from teammate Mike Jambrone), BG was able to stave off 4 Vernon Hills match points to claim the victory.

"It was so nerve-wracking," said Baronti. "It was ridiculous. There was so much riding on each point. What an awesome match."

And although the Bison season threatened to come to a crashing halt, Baronti and his teammates fighting spirit and will to win shined though.

"We didn't even think about losing," said the senior right-side hitter. "You can never look at it that way. You've got to have a positive attitude."

That kind of perseverance and resolve, along with some unbelievable volleyball skills, is what earns Baronti the honorary captaincy of the 2010 Daily Herald Cook County All-Area boys volleyball team.

"Nick is a lot more than just an intimidating hitter," said BG coach Matt Aiello. "He's worked extremely hard to become an all-around player.

"He was arguably the most dominating offensive player in the state, but he was much more concerned with the team's accomplishments.

"When Nick had a smile on his face, I knew we were going to be all right. He could get kills from anywhere on the court and faced at least a double-team block every time he swung."

The statistics speak for themselves - Baronti hammered 394 kills, had 107 blocks, 37 aces, 65 assists and 152 digs.

But what is even more impressive is how the quiet giant, voted tri-captain this season, grew into the role of an inspiring team leader.

The 6-foot-9 Baronti, whose 40-plus vertical leap at the net put many an opponent on their heels, was impressed by the level of maturity shown by past BG captains such as Tom Angerame and Joe Duda.

And although he was not a loud or vocal player, he always got his point across, and the leadership he exhibited this season was well-appreciated by his coach and teammates.

"Watching him grow into the leader that he has become has been very impressive," said Aiello. "I am so proud to have been able to coach such an outstanding person. He is so much more than just a great volleyball player."

"I had some great teammates that I learned from," said Baronti, "and I took the responsibility (of captaincy) very seriously. I'm a quiet person, but I use that in a positive way. Everyone is different - I use the qualities that I have to motivate in my own way, and I lead by example."

The stellar athlete played other sports such as baseball and basketball early in his BG career, but as many elite players do, started to concentrate solely on volleyball - and had no problems with that choice.

"For me," said Baronti, "it was just so much more fun than the other sports."

The senior will attend DePaul University in the fall to study business, but still has some unfinished business in the prep volleyball arena as his club team, Rolling Thunder, will travel to Austin, Tex., over the summer to compete in nationals.

And although the Bison standout's hope for a 2010 state championship was cut short by a loss to Maine South in the quarterfinals, he still has a slew of memories of unprecedented success to reflect on as his high school career ends.

"It was a tough way to go out," said Baronti of the loss to the Hawks. "It really hurt a lot that night (after the match), but then some time went by and after a few days it was easier to get over. It wasn't our best effort, and Maine South played probably their most complete game of the year."

But that defeat was only a blip in what was a memorable 3-year string of inspiring play, stirring successes on the court and friendships that will last a lifetime.

"It's been a great four years here at Buffalo Grove High School," said Baronti. "I'm going to miss it a lot."

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<li><a href="/pdf/cookboysvolleyballfront10.pdf">Northwest suburban all-area team Page 1</a></li>

<li><a href="/pdf/cookboysvolleyballteam10.pdf">Northwest suburban all-area team Page 2</a></li>

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