by Joe Easton

His heart pounding with anxiety and his eardrums throbbing with cheers from fans, outside hitter Jojo Sokol was filled with adrenaline while playing for the state championship in Columbus last season.  Fortunately, Sokol channeled his exhilaration into three game-winning kills, the last of which is viewable on YouTube as he led his 2008 boys volleyball team to Ohio’s state championship title.

The 2008 team was undeniably filled with talented players.  Moreover, they had the leadership of the 2008 Division II All-Ohio Coach of the Year and class of 1997 graduate Matt Mihelic.  Now entering his sixth year as head coach, Mihelic understands the momentum that last season’s success has provided.

“Of course, winning states is a huge deal,” Mihelic said.  “It’s awesome that we can build off of the success from last year, but now we have to move on.”

Unfortunately, Jojo Sokol and eight other key members of the 2008 state champions turned in their volleyball uniforms for graduation gowns at the end of the year.  For any sports team, losing nine upperclassman leaders, including several with first team all-state honors, can be catastrophic.  However, the revamped 2009 boys’ volleyball team is ready and willing to take on the challenge.

After so many players graduated in the class of 2008, the junior varsity team scrambled for their spots on varsity.  The team has many new faces, but glimmers of the same high caliber talent.  Jojo Sokol’s younger brother, sophomore middle blocker Mikey Sokol, has both the genes and the determination to excel on varsity.  Co-captain and junior Willy Veverka has taken the responsibility of setting for the team, and the dynamic duo of junior Kyle McNicholas and senior Adam Hamad will help to anchor the defense.  From the state champion team of last year, only one starter will return to the team for 2009: co-captain and senior Mike Horth.  He is prepared to guide the 2009 team back on the road of success.

“The team has a lot of potential because the junior class is stacked with solid players,” Horth said.  “Also, we have a player who can dunk a woman’s basketball, if that counts for anything.”

The 2009 team has already experienced their first acid test of the season with a competitive tournament at Mt. Vernon, near Columbus.  The boys won two matches out of seven, and faced many teams that they saw in the postseason last year.  Many of the competition, including Cleveland’s St. Ignatius, will come up again in the 2009 regular season.

“It’s crucial that we have confidence in ourselves, because that helped us on our journey to the title last year and it will help us this year,” Mihelic said.  “However, we have a pretty big bulls-eye on our backs now.  If teams in Northern Ohio didn’t know what we were capable of before, they do now.”

Instead of being intimidated, the team is maintaining a confident attitude.

“It’s definitely going to be tough for our young team to repeat last year’s success,” the sophomore Sokol said.  “But we are working hard in practice and playing with some of the top competition in the state.  We know what it takes to go all the way.”