The scoreboard beeped, the crowd cheered, and Utica groups huddled. Conquering the Eagles on Apr. 16, the boys’ volleyball team won 3-1. Both Eisenhower and Utica are participating in their first year of boys’ volleyball, with MHSAA making it a Macomb Area Conference (MAC) sport this year. The boys continue to learn and change, as this is a new competitive sport for many of the players.
Senior Keegan Finn won Player of the Game with a total of six blocks. Finn led the game with energy, communication, and grit. Finn continued to make an impact on the court, leading by example.
“The game against Eisenhower was exhilarating. We played well and communicated as a team,” Finn said. “As a middle blocker, I have successful outside blocks during the game that changed the flow of the game.”
Head coach and Chieftain alumna Abigail Rissman played volleyball and is on the court again, coaching the boys for the first time. As an elementary school teacher intern at Monfort, she approaches teaching new athletes to the game like her teaching style, taking things slowly, piece by piece.
“Anything new is challenging, but with this being the first year of boys’ volleyball, it is just navigating learning. Volleyball can be a very technical game, and the rules can be overwhelming,” Rissman said. “Our senior leadership contributed greatly to our win against Ike; our four seniors do a fantastic job leading by action. Every guy being locked in and ready to compete was a huge part of it, too.”
As a football, track, and volleyball athlete, junior Drake Edwards used his athletic abilities to excel as a middle blocker and contribute to the win in the game. While being his first year playing volleyball, communication was a crucial part of the win against Eisenhower.
“It was definitely our best game of the season. It felt really good to destroy them,” Edwards said. “It is a learning process, but I have seen the improvement in our team each game. The court exposes each player to move and communicate.”
While being a new team can be challenging, the Chieftain boys continued to work together to beat their rivals, the Eisenhower Eagles. Not only is skill required, but communication to get each set. During their journey of the season, they had to adapt and change. Beating Eisenhower not only proved their teamwork, but also their effectiveness for their first season of MAC volleyball.
