Scouting Fox Valley boys volleyball
Bartlett Hawks
Conference: Upstate Eight (Valley)
Coach: David Barker (first year)
Top returnees: Seniors Alex Barat (OPP), Dan Esmail (S/OPP), Andrew Harris (S), Michael Marciniak (MH), Russell Martin (OH), Macon Nalepka (MH), (Mike Shanahan (DS/L), David Upp (OH), juniors Upesh Desai (DS/L), Bryan Sanchez (OH)
Top newcomers: Senior Nick Obrzud (OH/OPP), junior David Banks (MH),
Outlook: Barker takes the reins of a program for the first time and becomes the program’s third coach in as many years. He has worked as a club coach and spent 10 years as an assistant coach at York and Glenbard North. Barker’s first Bartlett team should be a good one. The Hawks are loaded with returning talent, led by talented outside hitters David Upp and Russell Martin. Upp is a club-trained player entering his third varsity season. Martin is a three-sport athlete, one of the UEC Valley’s best tight ends last fall. “They’re both going to be real good assets,” Barker said. “They’re both experienced at this level. That’s where our power is going to come from.”
Nalepka is another club player who saw lots of varsity action last year. He has offensive skills to go with his defense. Speaking of defense, Marciniak (6-foot-7), also a golfer, should provide plenty of blocks. Sanchez will work himself back into matches soon after recovering from an early season injury. Setter is a position still being ironed out. Returning junior Harris set last year but missed the start of the season due to a school trip. Esmail set well in his place. Both will get playing time early. Barker calls both “strong athletes willing to work hard, but that could be a position that won’t be decided upon for another couple of weeks.” Most of the athletic starting lineup played last year. “I think that means there will be a great improvement from last year to this year,” Barker said. “I’m looking for a good year. Bringing a bunch of guys back is great. They’re a great group of guys beyond just being a group of good volleyball players. If we keep our heads in the right place and keep working hard in practice, we’re going to be real, real good. We’re going to be tough to beat.”
Elgin Maroons
Conference: Upstate Eight (River)
Coach: Scott Stewart (first year)
Last year: 4-32, 0-9 UEC
Top returnees: Seniors Zayaa Oshana (OH), junior Omar Ceballos (L)
Top newcomers: Junior Max Colima (OH)
Outlook: Stewart takes over as coach for a program hit hard by graduation losses. Most of last year’s starters hailed from the senior class, headed by four-year stater Ivan Ceballos. He graduated, but the team still has a Ceballos on the roster; Omar returns as an athletic libero. The offense will rely heavily on Oshana, a 6-foot-5 senior who played last year. Colima (5-foot-8) is a promising junior hitter. Stewart has a pair of sophomores on the varsity roster: 6-foot-2 middle Keith Turner, and 5-8 defensive specialist Brendan Geils. The team’s other seniors are right side Faraz Akram (6-0), middle Anthony Perfors (6-0), outside hitter Rejean Washington (5-10) and middle Jose Gutierrez (6-1).
Stewart believes the program is on the cusp of a rebirth of sorts. “We are hoping for the first winning season in program history,” Stewart said of Elgin’s 14-year track record. “We are going to play to our strengths and work hard every day in practice so hopefully it transfers over into our matches. The only obstacle that stands in our way is the stigma of seasons past.”
Larkin Royals
Conference: Upstate Eight (River)
Coach: Henry Graack (Fourth year)
Last year: 5-31, 1-8 UEC
Top returnees: Seniors Stephen Dominguez (OH), Mike Flowers (MH), Matt Harris (S), junior Adarian Mahone (MH)
Top newcomers: Junior Dylan Martinez (OH)
Outlook: The Royals could be improved this season due to their experience. They graduated only one senior (captain Griffin Yee), and most of last year’s team returns, including junior middle Adarian Mahone (6-3), one the basketball team’s top rebounders. His height is a rarity. The roster lost three 6-footers. The Royals will try to offset their height deficiency with speed, defense and intelligent placement of the ball, according to their coach. “This year we are looking to improve,” said coach Henry Graack, in his fourth year as head coach and sixth year in the program. “Our team last year had only one senior, so most of our team has returned for their senior year. We have very few who do not have any varsity experience. We want to increase the amount of wins from last year because of that.”
St. Edward Green Wave
Conference: Suburban Christian (Gold)
Coach: Jon Suire (first year)
Last year: 4-16
Top returnees: Seniors Glenn Fortune (MH), Jake Yohn (OH), Bob Waclawik (DS), junior Mark Sink (OH), sophomore Tony Sandoval (OH)
Top newcomers: Seniors Jack Ludwig (OH) Eric Winters (OH), juniors Tim Depasion (DS), Logan Johnson (DS), Jeff Ludwig (OH), Dan Werner (OH), sophomores Ian Pattison (OH), John Sheperd (OH)
Outlook: Things are looking up for the St. Edward boys volleyball program, which boasts 29 players and expands to three levels this year. The varsity will be led by co-captains Yohn and Waclawik, both entering their fourth season of varsity volleyball. The team lacks much experience beyond that pair, however, sophomores Pattison and Sheperd have the skills to build the program around for the next three seasons.
Outside hitters Sandoval and Sink will have a lot to say about how successful this team ultimately is, said coach Jon Suire, also an assistant basketball coach at the school who is currently a student at UIC. He takes over the program from Kyle Due. Suire is the Green Wave’s third coach in as many years, yet the sport has never been more popular among boys at Elgin’s Catholic High School. “It’s the biggest turnout we’ve had,” said Suire. The new coach said the team goal is the conference title. “Combining our returning players and newcomers, we have the potential to have a great season,” he said. “I’m very excited to coach such a terrific group of young men.”
South Elgin Storm
Conference: Upstate Eight
Coach: Adam Plach (third year)
Last year: 17-9
Top returnees: Senior Sean Saxton (S)
Top newcomers: Seniors Nick Broches (DS), Matt Gill (L), Pedro Gonzalez (MH), Jake Mendel (OH), Nick Pawlowski (S), Alan Schoeps (MH), juniors Trevor Aguiniga, Dan Riehle (OH), Tyler Wells (OH)
Outlook: The Storm took some important steps as a program last season, but only Saxton returns at setter from that 17-win squad. “One of the weaknesses that is easy to see is we don’t have a lot of varsity experience,” Plach said. “What might come to be a strength for us is the fact that most of the guys coming up to the varsity have played with each other the past two years. Hopefully, chemistry will be one of the strengths we have.” The new two-division format of the Upstate Eight Conference places South Elgin in the same division with Bartlett, Neuqua Valley, Waubonsie Valley and Lake Park, traditionally the top teams in the UEC due to multiple club players within those programs. The Storm wouldn’t want it any other way. “Those teams are on our side, and we are excited about it,” Plach said. “To be the best you have to beat the best.”
Streamwood Sabres
Conference: Upstate Eight
Last year: 12-22
Coach: Lisa Vazzana (first year)
Top returnees: seniors Phil Montero (S), Nick Rice (MH), Kevin Rosas (OH/L), Vikas Tailor (OH/RS)
Top newcomers: Senior Ryan Wohlhart (OH), junior Ryan Bellamy (MH)
Outlook: Vazzana, who completed her first season as coach of the girls’ program last fall, takes over the boys program for the first time. She inherits some returning talent from last year’s squad, led by Rice, a returning all-conference honorable mention middle. He’s a club player with an aggressive attack and a strong block, according to his coach.
Tailor is a strong outside or right side with good court awareness. Rosas is a solid passer with “an inner aggressiveness that can’t be taught,” Vazzana said. Montero, a smart, aggressive setter with good hands, returns to run the offense. The Sabres will be strengthened by the addition of Wohlhart, an intense hitter with a big swing, and Bellamy, the squad’s tallest player at 6-foot-3. One of the Sabres’ team goals is to win more matches than they lose. “I think the boys will do very well this season,” Vazzana said. “We have a lot of talent a lot of drive. If we can put all the pieces together, we will be a very strong team.”
Westminster Christian Warriors
Conference: Northeast Athletic
Coach: Josh Landers (first year)
Last year:
Top returnees: Seniors Iain Irwin, Jesse Rohloff
Top newcomers: Seniors Daniel Lindberg, David Lindberg, juniors Josh Beachler, Sion Lee, Eric Martin, freshmen Michael Franco, Logan Hopp, Jared Miller
Outlook: Landers takes over the second-year program, which graduated the majority of players from the inaugural season. The good news for the program is that three freshmen are participating, which bodes well for the sport’s future at a small school where available participants are limited. The roster of 10 is led by returnees Irwin and Rohloff. But most players are still limited in overall skills and no one has a set position yet as fundamentals are being stressed. Landers said one major goal for this season is to grow the sport’s popularity within the Westminster Christian School community.
“We have to grow support from the outside, meaning the student body and staff of Westminster because it’s difficult to build a quality team without a deeper roster. This season I’d like this team to show the boys of this community that boys volleyball is a worthwhile sport for them to put their effort into.” The only player with a position is Franco, the setter. The roster gets a boost from the addition of Beachler, an athletic junior helping out the program while he simultaneously competes in track.