More than meets the eye for Marist’s O’Keefe

Senior outside hitter a key as RedHawks build state momentum with upset of Glenbard West

Marist’s Kellen O’Keefe passes the eye test.

Watching the senior outside hitter, observers see a player who is one of the top hitters, blockers and defenders on a team that is nationally ranked. He is just all-around good.

For RedHawks coach Jordan Vidovic, however, it’s what most people don’t see that makes the 6-foot-1 O’Keefe even more valuable.

“He keeps the other guys in check,” Vidovic said. “He does a lot of unnoticed things that we as coaches notice. He keeps the team together at practices and off the court.

“That’s why we’ve been able to have some learning moments in the past couple of weeks. He’s been very adamant that we do something with those learning moments.”

One loss for Marist (30-2-1) this season came against Glenbard West, which was ranked No. 3 in the nation in the May 11 USA Today/American Volleyball Coaches Association poll.

The other loss came against St. Louis U-High, ranked No. 7.

The RedHawks, ranked No. 11, dropped a humbling 25-12, 25-15 loss on April 30 at St. Louis. After the long bus ride home, Vidovic said O’Keefe fired up the team at the next practice.

“That was big time,” Vidovic said. “When we got back, he was the instigator to bring more energy to practice. After that, practices had a different vibe.”

O’Keefe, who attended St. John Fisher grade school in Chicago, downplayed his role but admitted Marist needed to recharge after being dominated in Missouri.

“We had a long talk first practice about getting back to work and working on our intensity,” O’Keefe said.

Marist will not get another shot against St. Louis U-High this season, but the RedHawks did get revenge Thursday against Glenbard West with a 25-21, 25-23 victory at home.

O’Keefe had eight kills and six digs. For much of the season, it appeared there were no super teams in Illinois taking the state by storm, but Glenbard West had started to emerge as a wrecking crew.

The Hilltoppers had been dealing with injuries and suffered a loss May 8 to Glenbrook North, but they were at full strength in the sweep by Marist.

That gives a host of strong teams, including the RedHawks, confidence going into a postseason that begins next week.

“We’re in for it,” O’Keefe said of a state championship run. “And I love this team for that.”

O’Keefe is heading to either Illinois, Miami of Ohio, Kansas or Minnesota on a Chick Evans Scholarship, a full-ride award given to caddies who meet academic and leadership standards.

None of those schools have men’s volleyball programs, so this closing stretch on the court will be it for O’Keefe.

“This is my final year and my final push,” he said. “I want to have a great year in my final competitive season.

Good Call: Former Sandburg outside hitter Sam Call stopped by his alma mater last week in full uniform.

But it wasn’t a volleyball uniform.

Call, who played for the Eagles in 2016 and 2017, was back for career day and showed up in his military uniform as a submarine welfare officer for the United States Navy.

He was a member of the last boys volleyball team for Sandburg to bring home a state trophy when the Eagles finished third in 2016.

Closing it out: On Saturday, Richards hosted the last regular-season tournament of the spring. Sandburg finished fifth, while Richards took seventh, Stagg was 10th and Shepard ended up 12th.

Sandburg’s Gavin Kissane, Richards’ Diego Quiroz and Stagg’s Vasileios Glynos were named to the all-tournament team.