The hunger for more
By Mike Ramczyk
There have only been two dates on the 2017 Burlington boys volleyball schedule, and the Demons already have half as many wins as they did during the entire 2016 season.
It’s this kind of progress that has second-year head coach Mike Jones feeling excited about the season’s prospects.
“We are really gelling together as a team, and we will be good all-around,” he said. “We have a solid team that can pass and serve really well.”
“We would love to win conference, and I believe this group of guys has a shot at doing that.”
Why wouldn’t Jones be ecstatic about this bunch?
The Demons return four starters, including first team all-county and all-conference outside hitter Malik Tiedt, along with ace and digs leader Trey Krause, and assists leaders David Paul.
Drew Pesick rounds out the key returners, and leadership won’t be an issue as Pesick, Krause and Tiedt form a strong threesome of captains.
While key performers Daniel Rummler and Chandler Spiewak, both hitters who earned all-conference accolades in 2016, are gone, Burlington also features depth with junior Andy Ellingham and sophomores Sam Lois and Daniel Drew, along with a host of newcomers.
A total of 26 players fill two rosters, varsity and junior varsity.
Junior Jesse Mullens, sophomores Tyler Duesing and Sawyer Dujardin and freshman Chase Ketterhagen are all new to varsity, but are expected to play key roles.
Freshmen Kale Dietz and Joey Berezowitz round out the varsity roster.
Burlington finished 8-18-3 last season and 2-6 in the Southern Lakes Conference, but a 4-2 mark and 1-0 conference record have already signified an improvement.
Jones said the team must work on hitting around and through blocks, and the blocking needs improvement.
But overall, he sees a wealth of potential.
Lauren Pesick, a 2016 Burlington High School graduate and former Demon volleyball player, joins Jones as a varsity assistant.
Mackenzie Ferstenou is the JV coach.
Burlington def. Wilmot, 25-18, 25-13, 22-25, 25-23
Led by stellar defense, the Demons jumped out to a 2-0 lead in their SLC opener Tuesday night.
Serve-receive and hitting errors allowed Wilmot back into the match, but Burlington Daniel Drew’s serving saved the day in set four.
Tiedt led the team with 16 kills, and Dujardin and Ellingham each added two blocks.
Paul dished out 37 assists, and Krause tallied 28 digs.
Schedule
(HOME MATCHES IN CAPS)
September – 9: at Racine Park Invite. 11: at Racine Horlick. 14: WESTOSHA CENTRAL. 21: RACINE ST. CAT’S. 26: RACINE CASE. 28: UNION GROVE. 30: at Shorewood Tournament. October – 5: WILMOT. 7: at Whitefish Bay Invite. 9: RACINE PARK. 12: at Westosha Central. 16; at Racine St. Cat’s. 24: at Union Grove.
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