The Loyola Excessive College of Los Angeles boys volleyball workforce stepped it up when it counted probably the most, avenging an earlier playoff loss to win the California Interscholastic Federation State Southern California Regional Division I championship, and in doing so is the 2023 VolleyballMag.com boys nationwide highschool workforce of the 12 months.
Loyola joins Newport Harbor’s Luca Curci (2023 VolleyballMag.com boys highschool participant of the 12 months) and Glenbard West’s Christine Giunta-Mayer (2023 VolleyballMag.com boys coach of the 12 months) as winners of the trifecta of nationwide postseason awards which were issued now for greater than 4 a long time.
The Loyola case research is a superb one. The Cubs, beneath the path of veteran coach Michael Boehle, rolled into the CIF Division I Southern Part playoffs with just one loss on the season, a 2-1 setback to Servite out of Anaheim in a event in March. The highest-seeded Cubs downed Beckman and Edison earlier than dropping at dwelling to Corona del Mar (Newport Seaside) in 4 within the semifinal.
However there was nonetheless hope within the type of the regional playoffs, akin to the state championship in California.
And the Cubs (29-2 total) didn’t disappoint. Loyola ripped by way of Scripps Ranch out of San Diego within the opener, avenged the part loss to CdM within the semifinals after which defeated Newport Harbor (Newport Seaside) to win the regional crown.
“Our workforce was very upset with how we completed in opposition to CdM within the part loss, so we had been very motivated to win the state playoffs and present everybody how significantly better we might play,” Loyola junior exterior hitter Sean Kelly stated. “We performed very freely and got here collectively even stronger within the state playoffs. It was an effective way to complete our season and have one thing to indicate for our nice 12 months.”
Cubs senior center blocker Spencer Graves (UCLA-bound) added: “Our workforce was in a position to reach the state event as a result of regardless of a tricky loss, all of us got here collectively and determined that wasn’t the best way we wished to exit. We knew we had the power to beat CdM and Newport, we simply wanted to play our recreation and that’s what we did within the state event.”
Boehle, whose workforce had received 21 matches in a row earlier than the loss to CdM within the part, stated the workforce’s success this season boiled right down to nice chemistry.
“These had been guys who actually loved one another on and off the court docket,” he stated. “Expectations weren’t what they had been the 12 months earlier than. They performed free and rode the wave. They had been good guys and good pals on and off the court docket they usually performed free volleyball. They loved the sport they usually loved apply and knew after they needed to work. The expectations had been that they weren’t supposed to do that. This was a nice shock and some of the enjoyable groups I’ve coached in 25 years. To do that on the highway, particularly at Newport Harbor, was unimaginable. It was very particular.”
Loyola senior proper facet Lukas Anderson (headed to Loyola-Chicago) echoed Boehle’s remark, noting the groups closeness and familiarity with each other was the difference-maker.
“Most of us had been taking part in collectively since we had been 13,” he stated. “I believe what made the season stand out a lot was how properly we performed as a unit. We had been very regular and we didn’t actually ever get too excessive or too low. All of us trusted one another. It was a enjoyable group of fellows to play with.”
Anderson added there was zero troubles with getting motivated after the part loss.
“There was a common consensus across the workforce that we had come too far this 12 months simply to don’t have anything to indicate for it. We got here collectively within the state matches with the identical depth with the identical mission. Everybody wished the final recreation of the season to be a win and we weren’t going to let one playoff loss outline our complete season.”
Boehle stated the workforce adopted a well-recognized highway map that has been round Cubs camp for fairly some time.
“Yearly we use the time period constructing a home collectively,” he stated. “You begin with the demo after which do the development after which you’ve the completed product. After we received to the ultimate, that’s while you open the door and see what you constructed. We constructed a home collectively and labored arduous doing it. From the 15th man to the primary man, they had been all equal of their roles they usually did them so properly.”
The area title provides to Boehle’s large resume on the college. It was Loyola’s fifth regional title in his 25 years (2009, 2010, 2012 and 2017). His groups are additionally 272-2 in convention play throughout that timeframe.
For Curci, a senior exterior hitter at Newport Harbor, his last highschool season was a memorable one, serving to the Sailors (36-2) seize back-to-back CIF-SS Division I titles. In doing so he was additionally named the CIF-SS Division I co-player of the 12 months and the Orange County Register participant of the 12 months.
He completed his run in Newport Seaside with 495 kills, whereas hitting .360 and including 131 digs, 59 blocks and 4 aces.
“My offense received higher,” he stated. “Earlier than, I used to be a device hitter and now I’m extra of an offense menace. I received larger and stronger (gained 10 kilos within the low season) and went to the fitness center and labored arduous.”
Whereas Curci’s offense improved, his defensive talents had been equally as much as snuff.
“Possibly protection is the very best a part of my recreation,” he stated. “My protection has all the time been good.”
Curci stated being a frontrunner on the workforce together with teammate Jake Learn this season additionally added to the enjoyment of the season. “It was cool. I had quite a lot of accountability,” he stated. “It was good that myself and my longtime buddy (Learn) did it collectively. We had quite a lot of enjoyable.”
Curci, headed to UCLA the place his father, Anthony, was a part of the 1989 Al Scates-coached nationwide championship workforce, added particular person success this season wouldn’t have been potential with out his teammates.
“They helped me loads by not letting me get down on myself,” he stated. “If I performed dangerous, they held me accountable for taking part in dangerous and instructed me to determine it out and step it up.”
Harbor coach Andrew Mabry stated Curci’s progress and enchancment by no means stopped.
“He continued to enhance his recreation and his management,” he stated. “He’s a gifted participant from the back and front row as an attacker and has a depraved vertical leap serve that may spark large momentum-building runs. Luca has all the time been an excellent workforce participant and has given credit score for his success to his teammates. We’re so happy with who he’s.”
Giunta-Mayer is the VolleyballMag.com coach of the 12 months for the second time since 2017 after directing the Hilltoppers from Glenbard West (within the western Chicago suburb of Glen Ellyn) to a fifth state championship since 2015 and second in a row.
Giunta-Mayer, who recorded her 500th profession win this season and is the founding coach of this system, has been on the helm of back-to-back state crowns. Her 2016 workforce went 42-0 and set a state file by going 84-0 in units. The 2017 Hilltoppers workforce went 41-1 and contributed to a different state-record with a 69-match successful streak. Taking away the COVID 2020 12 months, West has completed third, second, third, first and first since 2018. Her groups have made 10 appearances within the annual eight-team Illinois state finals.
This 12 months’s efforts additionally earned Giunta-Mayer (530-132 in 17 seasons) the Illinois Volleyball Coaches Affiliation boys highschool coach of the 12 months.
First-Group
Identify Ht. Pos. Yr Excessive College
Lukas Anderson 6-2 OH Sr. Loyola (Los Angeles, California)
George Bruening 6-10 RS Sr. Corona del Mar (Newport Seaside, California)
Luca Curci 6-3 OH Sr. Newport Harbor (Newport Seaside, California)
Jack Ebertin 6-4 OH Sr. St. Francis (Mountain View, California)
Jakobi Lange 6-4 OH Sr. Hinsdale (Illinois) Central
Charlie Ledford 6-1 OH-Lib. Sr. Cathedral Catholic (San Diego, California)
