Boys volleyball: West Chicago sees progress against Wheaton Academy

There were surely some uneasy feelings as a scrappy Wheaton Academy boys volleyball team just kept on battling back from deficit after deficit. In the end, however, West Chicago was feeling pretty darned good.

The Wildcats outlasted visiting Wheaton Academy 26-24, 26-28, 25-22 Thursday night in West Chicago behind a strong all-around effort by junior Ross Behr. The 6-foot-3 outside hitter recorded 19 kills, 32 digs and 3 aces and helped hold off a Warriors team that had no quit whatsoever.

"There were a few points where they made a little run here and there and kind of got up on us, but we did really well as a team just putting it together," Behr said. "And we did a nice job of kind of overcoming that and siding out right away and getting the ball back. Overall I'm really happy with how our team did."

The Wildcats (5-4) jumped ahead in the opener 19-12 following an ace by Behr, but a young Wheaton Academy team stormed back and actually took a 23-22 lead from a block from 6-7 Sam Scharnowski. West Chicago came back to win Game 1 when Lucas Kulesza set up Behr for a game-ending kill.

In the second game it was the Warriors jumping ahead 18-11 after an ace from Jordan Gum, but this time it was the Wildcats who charged back. With Anthony Arias picking up a block and later a powerful kill, the Wildcats used a 10-1 run for a 21-19 lead. But Wheaton Academy drew even following a kill by Chris Pena and an ace by Steven Sellers, the lone player back with much of any varsity experience. The game was then tied at 22, 23, 24 and 25 before a pair of Wildcats misfires gave the game to the visitors and set up a decisive third game.

"It's really starting to come together. The strides we've made have been tremendous," said Scharnowski, one of seven juniors on the Wheaton Academy roster. "We're really excited about that. We have a bright future here."

The Warriors were tied at 20-20 in the third set, but a pair of winners by Behr and a big swing from Arias, who finished the match with 7 kills, helped West Chicago pull out the game and the set 25-22.

"You know what, and this is what I said to the kids, this is what we needed, a tight match and for us to come out on top, to know that we can win," Wildcats coach Kris Hasty said. "I think that's a huge confidence boost for us. We kind of took it on the chin from West Aurora the other night, so to come back and pull off a win is a pretty good feeling."

Warriors coach D.A. Nichols obviously wanted a win but still walked off the court feeling good.

"We're getting there and I'm actually starting to see some progression," Nichols said. "Our ball control is getting there and our setting is getting there. It's just inexperience and the speed of the game. Every mistake we make you get exploited … but we're doing great. I don't ever like to lose, but we're doing well."