Framingham has talent to defend title
Defending boys volleyball state champion Framingham will look a little different from last year’s squad, but the Flyers still have plenty of talent as they set out to defend their title.
Setter Josh Oakes and outside hitter Tyler Chan will factor heavily into Framingham’s attack once again, while another senior, outside hitter Matt Chin, was an AllScholastic last spring but will be asked to provide more offense this season.
Brendon Roth, Sam Ryan and Lincoln-Sudbury hope to challenge Framingham in the Central sectional after earning the No. 4 seed and losing to the Flyers in the sectional final last season. Medfield lost a strong senior class, but veterans Matt Keady, Liam McNulty and Travers Devlin will help the Warriors stay in the mix after a 12-6 record and run to the Central semifinals last season.
Natick was the last team into the Central bracket last year and upset No. 3 Monty Tech. Senior Max Waltzman and the Red Hawks will try to carry that momentum into 2017. Carter Burruss, Adam Caretta and Millis hope for more tournament success after a 17-1 record and quarterfinal exit last year. A seniorladen team should help Xaverian stay in the Central picture.
In the South, state finalist Needham has an uphill battle after losing a strong senior class, but that doesn’t concern coach Dave Powell.
“Rebuilding is not a word that’s in our lexicon,” Powell said. “With the culture we’ve created and the winning that’s happened in the last four years, our expectations haven’t changed.”
The Rockets returned to the final after winning the state title in 2015. Returning starter Eli Wallace and senior captain Brady Orozco-Herman will try to lead them on another deep tourney run.
Senior Travis Emenaker and Newton North fell to Needham in the South semifinals last year, but had a nice season at 13-3 and hope to build on that success this spring.
Seniors Chris Situ and Kenny Chan helped Quincy get to the South semifinals last year and will be back to keep the Presidents in the mix. Senior Nick Frenette and Greater New Bedford Voke went 18-1 last season and will be one of the favorites in the South again.
Up North, Chelmsford tore through the bracket last spring before finally falling in the sectional final. Seniors Austin Chadwick, Devin Firicano and Ryan Miller return and hope to get the Lions over the hump. Westford Academy made a surprise run to the state semifinals last year, and seniors Mike Baltayan and Florian Haedicke will try to get the Grey Ghosts back in title contention.
Wayland was another team to go on an upstart run in the North last year, and Jack Fletcher is back to help the Warriors try to build on their best season in program history. At 6-foot-9, Dimon Carrigan is a beast around the net for Cambridge and will anchor the Falcons again.
Senior captains Jack Fraser and Jordan Hoey will try to lead St. John’s Prep back to the playoffs in 2017. Lawrence hopes to build on a No. 3 seed and 18-2 season last year, but has some work to do after a talented group of seniors have graduated.