It by no means hurts to have the nationwide participant of the 12 months in your crew.
However for Loyola Excessive College of Los Angeles, UCLA-bound Sean Kelly was not the only real purpose for its success.
“They purchased into the tradition and the self-discipline wanted to do what we did,” Cubs coach Michael Boehle mentioned. “They purchased into the idea of taking part in collectively and trusting one another. They purchased into the Loyola approach. It was fairly customary from the start. Final 12 months, they acquired a style, really a bit of greater than a style. Sean and I met and he instructed me, ‘Let’s exit and get one other. Guys purchased into their roles. We had excellent gamers and human beings, however we needed to get all people to purchase in. That was a very powerful half.”
Loyola was dominant, dropping just one match all season to Mater Dei (in three units) on the Better of the West match. The Cubs (32-1-1) then went on a 24-match successful streak, dropping solely six units alongside the way in which in successful not solely a California Interscholastic Federation Southern Part Division I title for the primary time since 2016, however successful their second CIF SoCal Division I regional title in a row (Loyola misplaced to Newport Harbor within the 2022 SoCal last).
Add to that now the dignity of the Cubs being named the 2024 VolleyballMag boys highschool crew of the 12 months for a second 12 months in a row.
“Dropping solely six units throughout that successful streak confirmed how unhealthy the youngsters needed it,” Boehle mentioned. “We performed plenty of good groups. We beat Mira Costa thrice (the final two for the SS and SoCal titles) and performed Corona del Mar (3 wins) and Newport Harbor and beat an unimaginable Huntington Seaside crew (5-set win to open SS pool play). We went on a roll and beat all the highest groups.”
Within the two CIF postseason tournaments, Loyola went 7-0 and misplaced a grand complete of three units.
“We have been so sturdy this 12 months for a number of causes,” Cubs senior setter Parker Schloss mentioned. “For one, a lot of the guys on the crew have performed collectively in membership or earlier years, which made the connection on the courtroom so much simpler and easy, however I additionally assume we have been so sturdy as a result of our connection and bond we had off the courtroom. We had a really tight crew and that performed a giant function in video games and in the end successful the natty (nationwide championship).”
Whereas the 6-7 Kelly actually drew headlines, the Cubs have been capable of thrive due key contributions from others. As an example, Loyola’s two center blockers, senior Hugh Vandeweghe (nephew of NBA nice Kiki Vandeweghe) and junior Kai Kline (brother of latest Loyola alum Dillon Kline, who piled up 351 kills in his freshman season at USC), have been transplanted basketball gamers of their first years on the crew.
All-American efforts from Schloss and senior exterior Emmett Martin (headed to UC Santa Barbara) helped, as did the clutch play of freshman libero Johnny Gosser, who stepped in when Loyola’s common libero, sophomore Matt Kelly (Sean Kelly’s brother), was injured earlier within the season (Kelly did return on the finish of the season). Junior exterior hitter Simon Capps additionally starred, one among 4 Cubs to safe all-CIF Southern Part Division I honors (together with Kelly, Schloss and Martin). Schloss and Kelly shared Mission league participant of the 12 months honors.
“For what we put them by means of and all that we taught them, the 2 basketball guys have been unimaginable,” mentioned Boehle, inducted into the Southern California Indoor Volleyball Corridor of Fame. “After which a man like Parker, he was our quarterback. I don’t know what we might have completed with out him. He was completely invaluable together with his play and management. Total, you add in all of the items and the buy-in was superb.”
Martin agreed with Schloss’ evaluation of why issues got here collectively this season within the trend they did.
“The crew was sturdy as a result of we’ve recognized one another most our lives,” he mentioned. “All people was all-in. Our crew wasn’t simply the six guys who performed. Everybody performed a pivotal function in getting the championship, bench or supervisor, all people contributed.”
Loyola has now gained seven CIF Southern Part titles underneath Boehle, essentially the most in CIF historical past (13 total in program historical past, additionally a state report), six state titles (area) and 4 nationwide titles. Boehle was additionally honored as coach of the 12 months by the American Volleyball Coaches Affiliation. Loyola gained the ultimate SoCal area title — beginning subsequent 12 months the CIF strikes to at least one match to find out the state champion, shifting away from the southern and northern match ideas.
“All people stepped up and performed an enormous function in us successful,” mentioned Kelly, a two-time CIF Southern Part Division I participant of the 12 months (the primary Loyola participant to perform that feat since 1986).
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