By Jennifer Eisenbart
Sports Editor
Forced to shuffle its lineup, the Burlington High School boys volleyball team did Saturday what it’s been doing all year – winning.
The Demons played without super-senior Carson Biedrzycki most of Saturday at the Fort Atkinson Invite, and still came away the victors.
BHS swept Madison East 25-13, 25-12 and Fort 25-14, 25-17 in pool play, earning a bye in the first round of bracket play.
In the semifinals, the Demons downed Mukwonago 25-9, 25-15, and then defeated Racine Case 25-14, 28-26 for the title.
“Other than the last game, (we dominated),” said BHS coach Tim Gesteland. “We got a lot of confidence this year.”
Even with the struggle with Case in the second game of the championship match, Gesteland said his team never panicked or got worried.
“We just have seven really solid players that can handle the pressure of being second in the state,” Gesteland said.
The Demons are currently ranked behind Appleton North in the latest Wisconsin Volleyball Coaches Association rankings.
On Saturday, no one could get close to the Demons, in spite of the fact Biedrzycki played just one set. He finished with five kills in that one set of action.
By way of compensation, four other BHS players finished in double figures in kills, led by Ben Geiger’s 19. Jacob DeRosier added 17, Nolan Rueter 16 and Zach Gesteland 12.
With Biedrzycki gone, Gesteland moved from his normal setting position to hitter, and finished with four blocks, 11 digs and seven service aces.
Nick Bartlett, the primary setter for the day, had 41 assists, 11 aces and nine block kills.
Senior Garrett Schilling led the team in digs with 33.
The Demons also beat Indian Trails Academy Sept. 20 at home 25-7, 25-11, 25-6 in Southeast Conference action. Rueter had a team-high seven kills, Gesteland 19 assists and Bartlett nine assists and nine aces.
The Demons swept Racine St. Catherine’s Monday night, 25-12, 25-12, 25-12, with Rueter posting 14 kills, Gesteland 22 assists and Schilling 28 digs.
This weekend will provide a considerably bigger test for BHS, as the Demons host Westosha Central tonight at 6:30 p.m. for a critical SEC matchup, then travel to the Shorewood Invite Saturday.
That invite will feature several of the top teams in the state, including No. 1-ranked Appleton North, the Demons, Westosha Central and Shorewood.
“It’s kind of a mid-season test of where we are,” Gesteland said.
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