Season starts with high expectations for varsity boy’s volleyball

With great coaching and chemistry, high expectations are set for the Eureka boy’s varsity volleyball team. At this point in the season, the Eureka boy’s varsity volleyball team stands 4-1 with a strong win over Parkway West.

Key players on the Wildcats include Zach Clark, Jordan Orr, Josh Travis, Chase Demoulin, Gabe Counts and Gavin Bartley. Each player specializes in something that creates a balanced roster. Senior Gavin Bartley believes that their balance is a key to their success.

“We have really good pin attackers, passers, and we’re just a great team,” Bartley said.

Senior Josh Travis gives a nod to Head coach Brian Prischel as a benefactor for the team’s success.

“We have one of the best coaches in the entire state and he helps us more than we could think,” Travis said.

The Wildcats are going to be tested this year as they match up against schools at the top of the state. Senior Jordan Orr sees DeSmet as their biggest test of the regular season.

“They’re extremely talented and they have the depth to give their starters breaks against the less talented team, we don’t,” Orr said. “We are going to have to be at our very best to beat them.”

Though they have proved they can beat tough opponents, Orr believes that they need to work on starting off games with high energy in order to knock off teams such as Desmet and further climb up the rankings.

“All season we’ve started off slow and relied on being the better team in order to win, that won’t always be enough against the good teams,” Orr said. “If we give a little, they’ll take the rest and we will end up losing.”

The expectations for this season are simple.

“State final four,” Travis said. “We said that at the beginning and that’s what we’re striving for.”