The Varsity Boys’ Volleyball Team has started off the season with a series of impressive wins. They currently stand undefeated in WCAL with six wins so far. As the reigning WCAL, CCS, and CIF NorCal Champions, the team hopes to defend their titles as the season progresses.
Following a phenomenal 2022 season year with a 38-2 record, the team’s legacy sets a standard of excellence. Head Coach Jonah Carson was named the 2022 VolleyballMag.com boys’ high school coach of the year. Both Carson and Assistant Coach Cade Nethercott have extensive coaching experience and know how to prepare players for success.
Two important league games that the team recently played were against Bellarmine and Archbishop Mitty. Nethercott mentioned how the two games are generally good indicators of the team’s performance: “If we get past those two, we usually feel good about what’s happening next.” They won against Bellarmine 3-0 with Nethercott describing how ecstatic they felt: “We blew out Bellarmine—our big rival!” However, their game against Mitty was significantly closer. The game went to five sets with the final set being won 15-13. Opposite Hitter and returning varsity member Daniel DeVine (’25) described that the game was “energizing, and winning was the cherry on top.”
The team also recently played in the Monta Vista Varsity Tournament where they went undefeated. They faced Carlmont, Saratoga, and Harker, and also played rivals Archbishop Mitty and Bellarmine again. The team capitalized on the opportunity to play Mitty again, not losing a single set and playing better together as a team. Many players expressed a feeling of improvement. Overall, the Lancers dominated at the tournament and played exceptionally well, proving that they have more than what it takes to successfully defend their titles.
An important key to any team’s success is the camaraderie between players. With many new sophomores and juniors, the face of the team has definitely changed this year. When asked about the team’s dynamic, Nethercott said, “I think we have been pretty competitive, and we are a different team than we were last year, but we are still very athletic. [The team is] making a lot of their opportunities, and we are defending our CCS title pretty well.”
Looking ahead, many team members are excited for the postseason. DeVine stated, “I am looking forward to senior night and all of the CCS and NorCal games. Playing in front of a crowd is so exciting…support from the Rage Cage is so fun.” He encourages students to come out and support the team during their future games! Based on their past impressive record, it’s clear that anyone who attends will have an exciting time.
