As 1st season winds down, P-CEP boys volleyball teams are killin’ it
Salem’s Connor Townsend elevates to slam the ball over the net against a Canton block.
Watching Thursday’s Canton-vs.-Salem boys MHSAA Regional volleyball match, you’d never guess the sport is in its infancy.
Just two months after tryouts, the Cobras and Rocks were engaged in an entertaining match that was highlighted by long, intense rallies, thunderous kills and diving, point-extending digs.
The chemistry between the two teams’ first-year players and long-time club players (which are few) was impressive as smooth bump-set-spike plays outnumbered out-of-sync free ball rallies.
Great coaching breeds competitive teams
The fast-paced progression the Park teams have made since March is a reflection of the exemplary coaching jobs done by P-CEP’s three head coaches: Salem’s Mike Huegli (a former club volleyball player at Michigan State), Canton’s Bev Lardin, a physical education instructor at Canton, and Plymouth’s Lindsey Ancevski, who also coaches the Wildcats’ girls team.
Led by a handful of players who have competed multiple years at the club volleyball level, Canton persevered to win in three tight sets. The Rocks led 20-15 at one point in the first set before dropping a 25-23 decision.
Canton exploded to an 8-0 lead in the second set before Salem stormed back to deadlock the set at 19-all.
Canton’s 67 is better than so-so
Powered by Micah Styles, who wears the most popular number of these times (67), Connor Dickison, Cain Koche, Abhiram Moolagani, Mason Kozak and Emerson Abbott (and others), the Cobras prevailed, 25-23, in set two.
Canton led throughout most of the final set before pulling out a 25-21 victory to advance to the regional semifinals against the winner of the May 22 match between Northville and Adrian.
The regional semifinal is set for May 26 at 5 p.m. at Northville High School.
Standouts aplenty
Plymouth can earn a spot in the semifinals if it upends host Saline in a match set for Friday at 5 p.m.
Standouts for Salem’s first-year team included club player Erik Nordstrom, and front-row multi-sport athletes Conner Townsend, Jake Christensen and Luke Locke.
Northville is the highest-ranked KLAA program as it stood as the No. 7th best team in Division 1 by the Michigan Volleyball Coaches Association at the conclusion of the regular season.
Ed Wright can be reached at 734-664-4657 or edwright@socialhousenews.com.
