RedHawks redux
Talented trio lead way for Marist, but Lincoln-Way East and Brother Rice are right behind as strong contenders
Top 10 teams
1. Marist (35-3-1): So much talent is back. Senior right-side hitter Marty Canavan (Ball State) notched 279 kills last season and sophomore setter Christian Teresi had 923 assists, 69 kills and 38 blocks while learning on the job. Senior libero Brendan Schoeberl added 332 digs. RedHawks are ranked No. 4 in nation by USA Today/AVCA.
2. Lincoln-Way East (35-7): Griffins, ranked No. 18 in nation, finished second in the state last spring but graduated powerful talent. They’re still going strong behind senior outside hitter Tyler Walenga (Lewis) and senior middle hitter Joey Glennon. There are high hopes for sophomore Matthew Muehlnickel to blossom.
3. Brother Rice (20-18): Senior setter Luke Dwyer (Cardinal Stritch) has plenty of options, including 6-foot-7 senior middle hitter Michael Bos, 6-8 senior middle Brendan McCarthy and senior right-side Shauniel Nelson (Cardinal Stritch), a St. Rita transfer. Crusaders are ranked No. 23 in nation.
4. Lincoln-Way West (23-14): Warriors figure to make noise. Senior outside hitter Connor Studer has 416 kills and 312 digs in career. Senior setter Garrett Konopack has 717 assists. They also have a strong connection.
5. Lockport (29-9): Here comes the payoff to sophomores playing on varsity last season. Junior setter Evan Dziadkowiec, a two-time all-state choice, has 1,101 assists and 269 digs in career with two full seasons to go. Josh Bluhm, a 6-7 right-side, supplies big-time offense. Kevin Rodriguez, a junior libero, anchors defense.
6. Joliet Catholic (19-16): Senior twins Luke and Zach Pekol are 6-9 and heading to Lewis. Luke, an outside hitter, had 227 kills, 94 digs and 35 blocks last season. Zach, a middle, added 252 kills, 90 blocks and a monster .408 hitting percentage.
7. Sandburg (20-18): Junior setter Myles Aquino, a converted libero, and junior outside hitter Zach Supanich lead young team. Sophomore outside/right-side hitter Jeremiah Aro and sophomore outside JT
Snider are expected to contribute.
8. St. Rita (27-11): There are a bunch of new faces, but senior setter Jake Brady has an experienced player in junior outside hitter Aidan Peloquin to feed the ball. Peloquin was named all-conference in Catholic League as a sophomore.
9. Oak Lawn (20-15): Spartans went 16-8 last season after bringing up freshman middle hitter Oisin Walsh and ended up winning their first South Suburban Red championship since 2008. Junior middle hitter Connor Lewis and senior libero Kalvin Vega are also dangerous.
10. Lincoln-Way Central (20-16): Senior Jaden Didrickson shared duties at middle hitter last season with Michael Greco, and the duo was effective. This spring, after a strong club season, Didrickson will be counted on as a leader for the Knights.
25 players to watch
Myles Aquino, Sandburg, junior setter; Josh Bluhm, Lockport, junior, right-side hitter; Jake Brady, St. Rita, senior, setter; Marty Canavan, Marist, senior, right-side hitter; Adam DeRubertis, Providence, senior, outside hitter; Jaden Didrickson, Lincoln-Way Central, senior, middle hitter; Luke Dwyer, Brother Rice, senior, setter; Evan Dziadkowiec, Lockport, junior, setter; Joey Glennon, Lincoln-Way East, senior, middle hitter; Sebastian Jaculbe, Marian Catholic, senior, libero; Matthew Kenzinger, Mount Carmel, senior, outside/ middle hitter; Garrett Konopack, LincolnWay West, senior, setter; Brendan McCarthy, Brother Rice, senior, middle hitter; Justin McGary, Marian Catholic, junior setter/right side hitter; Matthew Muehlnickel, Lincoln-Way East, sophomore, outside/right-side hitter; Luke Pekol, Joliet Catholic, senior outside hitter, Zach Pekol, Joliet Catholic, senior, middle hitter; Kevin Rodriguez, Lockport, junior, libero; Brendan Schoeberl, Marist, senior, libero; Alex Smith, Marist, senior, middle hitter; Connor Studer, Lincoln-Way West, senior, outside hitter; Christian Teresi, Marist, sophomore, setter; Tyler Walenga, LincolnWay East, senior, outside hitter; Oisin Walsh, Oak Lawn, sophomore, middle hitter; Matthew Wojciechowski, Stagg, junior, setter.