LINWOOD — In its third year as a varsity program, the Mustang boys volleyball team is hoping to be a contender for the Cape-Atlantic League crown this season.
The Mainland Regional High School team got off to a good start with a 2-1 victory over Atlantic Tech and a home-opening win April 1 over Cedar Creek.
The boys did lose to Pinelands 2-0 the following day, falling 25-16 in the first set but battling to the end in the second before losing 25-23.
Against Cedar Creek, the Mustangs dropped the first set 25-20 but stormed back to win the next two 25-17, 25-17, with Noah Compton and Chris Driscoll both hitting double digits in kills and Dylan Cramer providing 26 assists. Compton had 28 kills and Driscoll 19 through the first two games of the season; Cramer had 19 digs and 54 assists in that short span.
“I love this rivalry,” head coach Torie Rich said of the match against Cedar Creek, “because Brian (Beck) and I coach against each other with the girls and the boys, and I’ve known Brian for a long time since his caddying days at Hidden Creek. So it’s a fun rivalry today.”
Asked about the season ahead, Rich said the players and coaches “have some high expectations. We’re hoping that we could potentially win the CAL (Cape-Atlantic League). We have a senior-heavy team.”
There are four senior starters on the team and two juniors.
“It’s just a really good group. They’re a fun group. They’re a hard-working group,” she said. “They’re friends on and off the court, which is really nice to see.”
The senior captains are Driscoll, the outside hitter, and Cramer, the setter. The other two seniors are Matt Velasquez and David O’Donnell. “They’re soccer boys, but it’s so fun to watch them play volleyball because the fact that you can actually use your feet on the volleyball court does come in handy for them,” Rich said. (The soccer link was noticeable as the boys killed a minute or two between games juggling the volleyball with their feet and knees.)
The coach said she also has the Compton twins, Noah, an outside hitter, and Jude, a middle.
“Chris Driscoll and Noah Compton are really going to be two to watch this season,” she said before the Cedar Creek game. “We’ve only had a couple scrimmages and one game, but they’re averaging about 15 kills each a game.”
Rich has a big turnout this season — 28 players. She formed not only a varsity and JV, but also a JV2.
“Some programs have all three levels, which is great because then they all get a chance to play.”
In their second year, the Mainland boys were 8-13 and struggled a bit as a program, the coach said. She sees change this year.
“They got a lot more involved in club teams in the offseason and a lot of beach play over the summer, which is very apparent when they get on the court, how their skills have progressed in the last year or two,” Rich said. “It’s a tremendous growth, so I think we’re going to be pretty strong on the National side of the CAL and I’m looking to hopefully take some games from the American side.
“In my gut, I feel like it’s going to come down to Mainland and Egg Harbor Township, so we’ll see what happens.”
“My expectations are pretty high — I can’t lie,” Cramer said. “Our team looks great. We have a lot of contending players. Chris is a great hitter. I can’t wait to see what he can do. Noah, he’s a junior but he still looks great out there. He swings hard and he jumps high.
“I’m really excited for our middle David (O’Donnell). He surprised me a little bit this year,” Cramer added. “I didn’t expect him to be this good coming into it, but he looks great out there. He jumps high and he’s quick to the ball, and looking forward to a season, really. It’s going to be a great one.
He, too, has hopes for a CAL title. “I mean, it’s always sitting in the back of my mind. EHT is going to be a hard one. It’s going to be a real hard one, but I think we can come out there and give them a good run for their money.”
Driscoll is hoping to see a lot of improvement for the team this year.
“This is my first year being a captain, so I’m hoping to set an example for this team and I believe we have a lot of potential to be a top team in the CAL,” he said, “so I’m hoping for a lot of good luck.”
He also acknowledged EHT is going to be the team to beat.
“It’ll be definitely a tough goal since EHT is a really strong team this year, but I believe if we really work on it in practice and we are really able to work together as a team, that it is very possible.”
Asked about his role as captain, Driscoll said, “I mainly just want to show that anything is possible, and I mainly want to be human. Like, even if everyone looks up to me, it’s like a good player. I want them to know that mistakes are good. And it’s OK to make them.”
And, he added, “just to have fun as a team because at the end of the day it is a game that I love to play. So I’d rather everyone have fun and we win while we do it.”
In the team’s 2-1 victory over Atlantic Tech, the Mustangs narrowly won the first game, 26-24, lost the second 25-20, but won the third, 25-17.
In those first two games, in addition to Cramer, Driscoll and Noah Compton, Velasquez had 10 kills and 13 digs; O’Donnell had four kills, seven digs and four assists; Jude Compton had five kills, eight digs and four assists; and junior John D’Agostino had two kills and three digs.
The Mustangs had a rematch with Atlantic Tech scheduled for Tuesday and will be back at home at 4 p.m. Monday, April 13, hosting Cape May Tech.
– STORY and PHOTOS by DAVID NAHAN/Sentinel staff
