Downers South edges Neuqua Valley at Springfest
Neuqua Valley finished second at the Springfest boys volleyball tournament on Saturday, and the key could have been a Game 1 opportunity the Wildcats allowed to slip by.
Neuqua (9-2), which got to the finals with victories over Wheeling, Glenbard North, West Aurora in pool play and St. Francis in a three-game semifinal, lost in the finals 25-23, 21-25, 25-21 to Downers Grove South, which won the tournament for the third straight time.
“We were ahead 10-2 in Game 1 of the final,” said Neuqua Valley coach Erich Mendoza. “Then we got complacent, let our guard down and let them back into it. And that was the difference. I told the guys that we should have been on the bus with the championship in two games. That hurt, because we should have won that first game. Downers Grove is an excellent team and they earned that championship.”
The Wildcats were still very much in contention late in the first game tied a 23-23 before relinquishing the last two points to the Mustangs (7-3).
Neuqua trailed 21-18 in Game 2 but recovered to win it 25-21 on three late kills.
“We exerted so much effort to stay with Downers Grove South the first two games,” Mendoza said, “that I think we got a little inconsistent in Game 3. This whole tournament showed what we’re capable of doing when we pass well and play good defense. We have two athletic middles in Connor Richardson and Joe Michael and we can set them anywhere in the court. We’re unique to have middles who can lead the team in kills.”
Downers Grove South led through most of Game 3 before closing it out on a three-point run.
Richardson led the Wildcats with 10 kills and Trey Dimond had 8. Michaels led in blocks with 4, Ryan Cahill distributed 27 assists and Scott Whitaker led in digs with 8.
It was a glorious victory for the Mustangs and first-year coach Kurt Steuer, who expected this to be something of a rebuilding year after the graduation of most of last year’s playing group.
But Saturday’s tournament championship that saw Downers South defeat top-rated teams like host Glenbard East in three games in the semifinals and Neuqua Valley in three in the finals, gives the Mustangs new-found confidence for the remainder of the season.
Grego Garro led the Mustangs with 9 kills and 4 blocks and Nick Timreck had 9 kills and 2 blocks. Andy Kryk came in with 8 kills and Paul Howatt had 7 in an impressively-balanced attack.
“This team battled back all day,” Steuer said. “They really believe in each other. This championship makes our confidence go through the roof. No one expected us to go this far. Our guys have a tremendous ability to read the play and we have great determination to keep the ball live. I’m really proud of this team.”
Glenbard East defeated St. Francis in the third-place match 25-11, 25-20. Glenbard West finished fifth and Benet was seventh.