OTHS looks to repeat 2015 success

The 2015 O’Fallon Township High School (OTHS) spring volleyball season was so nice that this year’s Panther spikers would like to do it twice.

That may be a tall order since the OTHS boys team roared through the post-season to the school’s first ever Elite Eight appearance and a 24-10-6 final record.

Victories over Edwardsville and Joliet West in sectional play propelled the Panthers into the state finals where their magical tournament run ended at the hands of Vernon Hills.

OTHS coach Kaitlyn Hagarty welcomed a substantial number of returning players from that history-making squad when pre-season practices began last week.

Significant graduation losses include top scorer Alex Belongy, Parker Roustio and Austin Minor, but the Panthers have plenty of firepower and experience returning, fueling optimism in the OTHS camp that a return to the form of 2015 is not beyond the realm of possibility.

“We have eight varsity returnees, five of whom were starters last year,” Hagarty said. “It gives us a solid nucleus on which to build our team. The loss of our senior players is something that we are going to have to address. They will be difficult to replace, but we have the personnel in place to put a very competitive team on the floor every match.”

Those who are expected to carry the load for O’Fallon include junior outside hitter Luke Meidel, senior middle hitter Michael Hovick, senior setters Lucas Hackmann and Jon Worthing.

All four players will be competing in their second year at the varsity level.

Meidel and Hackmann will be leading the Panther attack according to Hagarty. Meidel burst onto the scene last spring and established himself as one of O’Fallon’s most lethal scorers at the net.

Hackmann brings athleticism and versatility to the court, causing problems for opposing teams as a right side hitter as well as a major weapon at the net.

“Meidel and Hackmann have proven themselves at the varsity level,” Hagarty said. “Both lead by example and play the game the right way. They give us great intensity and court savvy and make everyone better just by being on the court.”

Jon Worthing, Hackmann’s running mate at the setter position, possesses great hands and is O’Fallon’s best ball distributor.

In concert with Hackmann, it gives the Panthers a decided advantage in both experience and execution.

The OTHS duo will be setting the ball for a front line led by Michael Hovick, who, according to Hagarty, has great mobility and movement across the net.

The senior middle hitter is expected to be one of the Panthers’ top blockers as well as an important offensive weapon.

O’Fallon’s team depth will be enhanced by a trio of relative newcomers who will be counted on to provide offensive firepower to complement the corps of veterans.

Junior Gabe Norsigian will fill either a right side or middle hitter role this spring. Seniors Matt Warren and Jason Dorries will also fit into the mix, giving what Hagarty hopes will be a versatile, deep and dangerous line-up.

“We are excited to see how Gabe [Norsigian] develops as the season progresses,” Hagarty said. “He is a very vocal player on the court and has great enthusiasm, which he expect to be contagious. He gives us additional intensity in the way that he attacks the game. We are looking for Warren and Dorries to fill the role held by Alex Belongy last year. Those are big shoes to fill, but both players have looked good in our pre-season workouts. This will be the first full varsity season for both, and, as seniors, they have a little bit of extra motivation to make this year a special one.”

The final piece to what the Panthers hope is a successful puzzle in 2016 is returning libero Ryan Nelson.

Preparing for his second varsity season Nelson brings experience and tremendous quickness to his position — two attributes that will be needed to jump start the OTHS offense.

One additional intriguing element added to the OTHS roster this spring is senior David Hood. A 6-foot, 9-inches senior transfer student, Hood may give opposing teams another problem to solve when facing the Panthers.

Edwardsville, Belleville East and Belleville West appear to be the major obstacles in the path to success for the Panthers in the Southwestern Conference.

All three teams return a full complement of players, foreshadowing a dogfight for league bragging rights.

“Our team must be ready to compete at the highest level every match if we want to achieve any level of success this spring,” Hagarty explained. “I know our players and our coaching staff is excited to get the season underway. One of our major concerns is to guard against complacency. With the way that we finished the season last year, our team will have a bigger target on their backs when we step onto the court. We can’t expect the road to success this year as a matter of fact. We will have to go out and earn it. With the correct attitude, our squad is certainly capable of having a good year.”

The OTHS spikers begin their 2016 campaign Tuesday, March 29, with a home match against the Granite City Warriors.

This story was originally published March 20, 2016 at 3:30 AM with the headline "OTHS looks to repeat 2015 success."