Boys Volleyball: Family atmosphere helps boost Worthington Kilbourne Wolves

Fifth-year coach Meladee Hopkins has built a family atmosphere for the Worthington Kilbourne boys volleyball team.

Hopkins, who wrapped up her 18th season as the girls coach last fall, uses both programs to help each other.

So, despite the boys team returning just four varsity players, Hopkins wasn’t surprised by its start. Kilbourne was 3-2 overall and 0-2 in OCC-Cardinal Division play after a four-set loss at Thomas on April 5.

“They’re around the girls game and they learn,” Hopkins said. “(Sophomore Henry Fronczak) talked about how he’s learned to be a smarter hitter by watching Zeynep (Yildiz). He learned to be a better passer by watching Maura Cummings, my libero for my girls program.

“A lot of the boys – if they weren’t in a fall sport – they would come and help out (with the girls). (Senior) Cord (Podolan) was one of my managers, (sophomore) Mark (Rice) was a manager, (junior) Bryson (Malinowski) – they would come and help with the girls in practice. I think it’s really helped. I have several of my girls that help out with the boys, managing and coming to practice and filling in. It’s helping their game, too.”

The Wolves were in a similar situation a year ago, returning just two players with varsity experience, and ended up 20-5 overall while winning the OCC-Cardinal at 10-2 record.

Podolan (middle hitter), senior Ben Fisher (middle hitter) and junior Will Haslett (outside hitter/defensive specialist) all played varsity full time last year, and sophomore Michael Vargo (setter) moved up from junior varsity a couple of weeks into the season.

Haslett was special mention all-league and Podolan was honorable mention as a setter.

“The team has a family-like chemistry,” Haslett said. “We’re always having each other’s backs. We did have a lot of turnover, but a lot of us played club volleyball and that always helps. We use practice time to the best of our ability with the amount of games we have in such a short period of time.”

Haslett’s versatility has been a key for Kilbourne. He was a middle hitter and defensive specialist last year and has transitioned to the outside.

“Will is a solid player all the way around,” Hopkins said. “He doesn’t come off the court. He’s probably my most talkative player on the court. He’s definitely a crucial part to our program.”

Through four matches, Haslett led the Wolves with 56 kills and 10 aces and was second with 34 digs.

“The best thing we can do is support each other,” Haslett said. “With the younger guys, it’s all about boosting their confidence. If someone has their head down, you always go up to them and say, ‘Head up, head up.’ I go back to that family – we’re all brothers to some extent.”

Podolan, who is 6-foot-4, also has made the transition to a new position.

“I definitely have a lot more sympathy for the setters than a lot of other (hitters) might because I know how hard it is to be one,” Podolan said. “That second ball is always on you.”

He is particularly adept on the block, leading Kilbourne with 16 through four matches. Fisher had 11 blocks with a team-best seven solo.

“His arm-span is so (wide),” Hopkins said of Podolan. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone with hands as big as (he) has. His hands are ginormous and that’s very conducive for blocking.”

Sophomore setter Connor Moghannam had 71 assists and Vargo had 64. Rice had 45 digs, Fronczak had 30 digs and Rice and Fronczak each had seven aces.

“I tell the kids all the time, ‘Just put the ball in play and let them make the mistakes,’ ” Hopkins said. “If we can just keep the ball in play, we’re going to be all right.”

mrich@thisweeknews.com

@ThisWeekRich

KILBOURNE

•Coach: Meladee Hopkins, fifth season

•Top players: Ben Fisher, Will Haslett, Connor Moghannam, Cord Podolan, Mark Rice and Michael Vargo

•Key losses: Kieran Cummings, William Hortz and Aiden Novotny

•Last season: 20-5 overall

•2021 OCC-Cardinal standings: Kilbourne (10-2), Hilliard Darby (9-3), Dublin Jerome (8-4), Thomas (7-5), Olentangy (6-6), Olentangy Berlin (2-10), Dublin Scioto (0-12)

•2021 postseason: Def. Centennial 25-16, 25-8, 25-12; lost to St. Charles 25-22, 19-25, 25-23, 25-27, 15-13 in Division II, East Region semifinal

THOMAS

•Coach: Brian Lawless, fourth season

•Top players: Miles Howland, Joe Kolwicz, Bo O'Leary, Devin Shaner and Mateo Zevallos

•Key losses: Ethan Archer, Ryley Briones and Nathan Molloy

•Last season: 18-8 overall

•2021 postseason: Def. Darby 25-19, 16-25, 26-24, 22-25, 17-15; def. Gahanna 19-25, 25-22, 25-19, 25-23; lost to Olentangy Liberty 25-20, 26-24, 25-18 in Division I, East Region final

•Outlook: Thomas hopes the momentum it built last season lasts long into this one. The Cardinals’ 18 wins were their most since 1993, and they reached their first regional final since 1994.

Returning seniors Joe Kolwicz (setter; second-team all-region, first-team all-league) and Bo O’Leary (middle hitter; honorable mention all-region, second-team all-league) lead the way.

Kolwicz, a Carthage College commit, had 33 aces, 96 kills, 37 blocks, 609 assists and 217 digs last year. O’Leary, who has committed to Indiana Tech, had 53 aces, 186 kills and 101 blocks.

Senior Mateo Zevallos (libero) and outside hitters Miles Howland (senior) and Devin Shaner (junior) are filling the spots of 2021 graduates Nathan Molloy, Ryley Briones and Ethan Archer.

•Quotable: “It’s a pretty experienced team and we think it’s a team that can build on the momentum from last year’s team that made a regional final. We replace both of our starting outsides, Nathan Molloy and Ryley Briones, who were awesome last year and our starting libero, Ethan Archer, who is playing at Wittenberg right now. We fill those gaps with guys that were also on the team last year and got to learn from those guys.” – coach Brian Lawless

This article originally appeared on ThisWeek: Boys Volleyball: Family atmosphere helps boost Kilbourne