Rodolfo Fransual (sr)
PUBLIC LEAGUE
Amundsen: Carl Gan; Bogan: Erik Garcia; Kelvyn Park: Luis Lopez, Adrian Macedo; Lane: Rodolfo Fransual; Lincoln Park: Daniel Lin; Northside: John Konow; Craig Melhuse, Jack Moore, Karl Nerger; Payton: Kevin Hoag; Schurz: Alan Feeney; Young: Alejandro Angeles, Albert Klimek, Konrad Klimek
Boys volleyball season is here. Last year saw a couple surprises. Surprise #1: Taft won city last year. Taft's boys volleyball team was their only team to win a city championship in any sport in the 2006-07 season. Surprise #2 - Whitney Young became the first Public League volleyball team to advance to the state quarterfinals after the elimination of the automatic Public Leage state berth a few years ago.
What do these surprises mean? It could mean that city volleyball is on the rise. With the emergence of Taft and Northside Prep, the city now has several quality volleyball teams that are looking to compete with their suburban counterparts. Others teams to look out for in the city include Lane Tech, Payton, Lincoln Park, and Kelvyn Park.
www.LaneTechFan.com 2007-08 Pre-season boys volleyball rankings:
1. Taft
2. Whitney Young
3. Lane Tech
4. Payton
5. Lincoln Park
6. Kelvyn Park
7. Northside Prep
8. Gage Park
9. Von Steuben
10. Foreman
By Phil Brozynski
The Red North Division has dominated Chicago Public Schools boys volleyball, winning seven consecutive city titles and 10 of the last 11. The league figures to produce another city titlist in 2008.
Taft finished third in the Red North but won the CPS tournament last year. Five players returns from that team including 6-foot-4 senior Lukasz Sienko and 6-1 senior George Vasels. Sienko will play both middle and outside for the Eagles while Vasels moves to setter.
“George has really dedicated himself to being a setter and set for his club team,” said first-year Taft coach Keith Scherdt. “Lukasz is our best blocker. Both George and Lukasz will be the leaders of this team.”
Lincoln Park does not return much height, but coach John Davis does return his top hitter from 2007 in 5-foot-11 Howard Hu, an all-city libero in 5-8 Daniel Lin, and 5-8 setter Felipe Bastos, who honed his skills in the off-season at the Powerhouse volleyball club.
“The division will be very competitive this year,” Davis said. “Taft, Lincoln Park, Northside Prep, Whitney Young, Lane and Payton all have quality teams with numerous club players.”
Northside Prep joins the Red North after going 10-0 in the Green (and 22-7 overall) last year. Northside should be well-equipped to make the jump, with 6-2 senior outside hitter Karl Nerger and 6-3 junior middle Craig Melhuse leading the way.
Other top players for coach Nicole Flores are 6-foot junior setter John Konow, 6-5 senior middle blocker Jack Moore and 5-10 freshman opposite Luke Sobieraj.
Payton finished 22-15 last year and was runner-up to Taft in the city tournament. Payton lost its top two players, Henry Gottlieb and Jeyser Perez, and seven seniors from that team and will sport a new look in 2008.
Coach Casey Feeney is counting on a pair of 6-2 senior middle hitters, Faris Cano and Kevin Hoag, and 6-0 sophomore outside hitter Kevin Kingsley.
Young finished 28-7 last year and reached the state quarterfinals with a regional championship victory over Fenwick and a sectional final win over St. Ignatius. But the Dolphins lost their top three hitters and their setter, and will rebuild around 6-2 outside Konrad Klimek.
Patrick Maciejewski (jr) looks to help Lane's boys volleyball team.
Varsity Coaches: Steve Kenmotsu & Sioux Onken
Sophomore Coach : Dan Law
Freshman Coach: Michael Andersen
2008 Boys Volleyball Schedule
Date Team Time
Mar 25 Taft (V,S) 4pm
Mar 27 @Payton(V, S) 4pm
Mar 28 @St Pat’s (All Levels) 4:30
Mar 29 Varsity NS Tourney 8am
Apr 1 NorthSide (V,S) 4pm
Apr 1 @Loyola (Freshman) 4:30
Apr 3 @Young (V, S) 4pm
Apr 5 Soph NS Tourney 8am
Apr 8 @Lincoln Park (V, S) 4pm
Apr 10 @Taft (V, S) 4pm
Apr 11 Kelvyn Park (Freshman) 4pm
Apr 15 Payton (V, S) 4pm
Apr 17 @Northside (V, S) 4pm
Apr 19 Freshman St Pat’s Tourney 8:30
Apr 22 Young (V, S) 4pm
Apr 25 Lincoln Park (V, S) 4pm
Apr 29 @Kelvyn Park (All Levels) 4pm
Apr 30 @Morton All Levels 5pm
May 6 RD 1 Sophomore Playoff 4pm
May 7 RD 1 Varsity Playoff 4pm
May 8 RD 2 Sophomore Playoff 4pm
May 9 RD 2 Varsity Playoff 4pm
May 10 Maine West Tourney Soph 9am
May 10 Evanston Tourney Varsity 9am
May 12 Soph Quarterfinals TBA
May 13 Varsity Quarterfinals TBA
May 14 Soph Semi-Finals TBA
May 15 Varsity Semi-Finals TBA
May 15 Loyola (freshman) 4:30
May 16 City Championships TBA
May 19 RD1 Regional TBA
May 20 RD2 Regional TBA
May 21 Regional Finals TBA
May 23 Sectional TBA
May 27 Sectional Finals TBA
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