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BOYS VOLLEYBALL STATE TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE

Quarterfinals: Friday, Nov. 11
Match 1: Germantown (22-9) vs. Wauwatosa East (29-10) – 5 p.m.
Match 2: Catholic Memorial (36-3) vs. Marquette (43-4) – 5 p.m.
Match 3: Kaukauna (34-6) vs. Muskego (23-12) – 7:30 p.m.
Match 4: Westosha Central (25-13) vs. Racine Horlick (18-15) – 7:30 p.m.

Semifinals: Saturday, Nov. 12
Match 5: Match 1 winner vs. Match 2 winner – Noon
Match 6: Match 3 winner vs. Match 4 winner – Noon

Finals: Saturday, Nov. 12
Match 7: Match 5 winner vs. Match 6 winner – 5:30 p.m.

TEAM PREVIEWS

Germantown Warhawks
Records: 22-8, 5-1 North Shore – First Place with Nicolet
WBVCA Ranking: Honorable Mention
State History: First Appearance

Sectional Semifinal: def. #3 Arrowhead 25-21, 25-19, 25-23
Sectional Final: def. #1 Nicolet 22-25, 25-22, 16-25, 26-24, 15-12

Germantown hasn’t exactly been a powerhouse of boys volleyball athletes historically, but with the addition of several multiple-sport athletes, the Warhawks earned their first ever state berth. Co-champions of the North Shore conference with Nicolet, Germantown knocked off the Knights the final week of the season and again in the sectional final in a back and forth five-setter. Logically, the Warhawks found a lot of athleticism from a quintet of basketball players that tried their might on the volleyball court with five starters also on this year’s upcoming roster for the top-ranked Germantown boys basketball team. Statistically, senior outside Matt Schultz leads Germantown with three kills per set and the trio of senior middle Zak Showalter, junior right side Luke Fisher and sophomore middle Jon Averkamp each add at least 2.3 kills per set. Sophomore setter Jake Showalter offers up 9.4 assists per set while senior libero Corey Petta mans the back row with 3.2 digs per set.

Wauwatosa East Red Raiders
Records: 29-10, 4-1 Greater Metro – Second Place
WBVCA Ranking: No. 4
State History: Seventh Appearance (2002, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10)

Sectional Semifinal: def. #4 Brookfield East 20-25, 25-15, 25-19, 25-22
Sectional Final: def. #2 Shorewood 25-22, 25-15, 25-19

Wauwatosa East earned its sixth straight state tournament appearance after cruising through sectional play, including a dominating sweep over Woodland Conference champ Shorewood in the sectional final. The Red Raiders, runner-up to Marquette in the Greater Metro Conference, played about as tough a regular season schedule as it could and hopes to carry the experience gained this season into the state tournament. Senior middle Max Kilpin leads Tosa East with 3.5 kills per set and Ben Mihelich adds 2.3 to his resume. The late season addition of senior outside Zak Sylvester has also been big for Tosa East, as he has tallied 2.7 kills through 39 sets played. Senior setter Sam Ingrilli runs the 5-1 with just under nine assists per set while the quartet of Ingrilli, Mihelich, sophomore right side Ben Plaisted and junior outside Morgan Griffith all have recorded over 100 digs on the season.

Catholic Memorial Crusaders
Records: 36-3, 7-0 Classic Eight – First Place
WBVCA Ranking: No. 2
State History: Eighth Appearance (2000, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 10)

Sectional Semifinal: def. #5 Fort Atkinson 25-12, 25-13, 25-14
Sectional Final: def. #3 Kettle Moraine 25-22, 25-20, 25-19

Catholic Memorial put on a very impressive run last season en route to the state championship and this season is hoping for a similar result. The Crusaders were unbeaten Classic Eight champs again this season and earned two breezy sweeps in sectional play. In undoubtedly the toughest draw of the state tournament field, Catholic Memorial will play Marquette—which it beat in last year’s state final and is the only team to have beaten CMH this year—in the quarterfinals. As always, Catholic Memorial will likely look to last year’s state Player of the Year and senior outside Trevor Novotny to lead the charge as he has tallied nearly four times as many kills as any other CMH attacker. Role players like sophomore middle Chandler North and junior middle Eric Schmitz will be key to Catholic Memorial’s upset bid, as will the play of its defense anchored by senior libero Connor Braun.

Marquette University Hilltoppers
Records: 43-4, 5-0 Greater Metro – First Place
WBVCA Ranking: No. 1
State History: 10th Appearance (2002, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10)

Sectional Semifinal: def. #4 West Allis Hale 25-12, 25-13, 25-7
Sectional Final: def. #2 Pius XI 25-18, 25-12, 22-25, 25-21

Marquette has lost just four matches all season long—two early season losses to Catholic Memorial and Appleton North and two more to Canadian prep volleyball powerhouse Miles MacDonell at the St. Vital Invite in Winnipeg, Manitoba last month. The Hilltoppers have been Wisconsin’s most dominant team in the state this season and will be making its 10th straight state appearance in the state quarterfinals this weekend. With a list of growing college-bound athletes on its roster this season, Marquette is looking for its sixth title after winning it in 2002, 04, 05, 07 and 08. The potent Hilltoppers, which hit a blistering .326 as a team, have five players averaging at least two kills per set. Senior right side Peter Hutz and senior middle Conrad Kaminski lead the team with 2.69 and 2.18 kills per set, and senior Michael Shneck is arguably the state’s best setter with 9.4 assists per set. Kaminski and Hutz together put up one of the most dominant blocks in the state on opposing outside hitters, tallying well over 60 blocks on the season. Add in fellow seniors in middle Sean Riley and Keenan Fliss and this team is on a mission for gold this season.

Kaukauna Galloping Ghosts
Records: 34-6, 8-0 Fox Valley Association – First Place
WBVCA Ranking: No. 3
State History: 18th Appearance (1963, Spring & Fall 67, 69, 70, 72, 74, 76, 77, 78, 80, 81, 82, 03, 04, 08, 10)

Sectional Semifinal: def. #4 Appleton West 25-11, 25-14, 25-15
Sectional Final: def. #2 Appleton North 25-19, 25-20, 20-25, 25-21

Kaukauna has been the class of the Fox Valley since 2008, winning four straight FVA titles and three state berths in that span. It also earned the most state berths overall by far, dating back to the 1960s, but has yet to win a state quarterfinal match in its four past trips in the common era of the boys game. That could change this year, especially when looking at how the sectionals were paired up as the likely favorite to reach the state championship from the bottom half of the state bracket this weekend. The Ghosts, which got past league rival Appleton North in the sectional final, are led by senior outsides Alex Judkins and Chris Patterson, who average 3.40 and 2.50 kills per set. Senior setter Philip Uitenbroek averages 10.1 assists per set and he and Judkins each have over 50 blocks on the year.

Muskego Warriors
Records: 23-12, 5-3 Southeast – Fourth Place
WBVCA Ranking: Not Ranked
State History: First Appearance

Regional Final: def. #6 South Milwaukee 25-8, 25-13, 25-7
Sectional Semifinal: def. #2 Franklin 25-23, 15-25, 28-30, 29-27, 17-15
Sectional Final: def. #4 New Berlin United 25-23, 20-25, 26-24, 19-25, 15-13

Muskego tied Westosha Central for fourth place in the Southeast Conference race, and is likely the surprise of the state tournament field. The Warriors, seeded #3 in its sectional, upset Franklin in a five-set-thriller then beat fellow underdog New Berlin in another sectional matchup taken to extra sets to earn its first ever berth in boys volleyball program history. And for first-year coach Joe Arbinger, Muskego’s upset bid continues as it will take on the No. 3-ranked team in the state. The trio of senior outsides David Mlachnik and Joey Bandoszeski and junior outside Sammy Pederson has carried the Warriors’ offense this season, anchored by senior setter Tony Fugarino.

Westosha Central Falcons
Records: 25-13, 5-3 Southeast – Fourth Place
WBVCA Ranking: Honorable Mention
State History: Second Appearance (2010)

Sectional Semifinal: def. #3 Middleton 25-18, 25-20, 25-15
Sectional Final: def. #1 Burlington 25-23, 15-25, 25-16, 25-19

Westosha Central is fresh of last year’s inaugural state tournament berth and back hoping to make another deep run. The Falcons, which were heavy underdogs against Nicolet in last year’s quarterfinals, are likely favorites in its matchup this year after knocking off Big Eight powerhouse Middleton and top-ranked Burlington in the sectional rounds. The return of All-State shoe-in Mike Michelau has been huge for the Falcons’ return trip as the senior outside leads the team with 4.34 kills per set. Junior outside Caleb Mobile adds 3.24 kills per set while sophomore setter Brooks Gahart runs the offense with 8.52 assists per set. Defensively, junior defensive specialist Jake Stetson tallies a team-high 3.11 digs per set while junior middle Regan Hess leads the team with 67 blocks on the year.

Racine Horlick Rebels
Records: 18-15, 4-4 Southeast – Sixth Place
WBVCA Ranking: Not Ranked
State History: Sixth Appearance (2000, 01, 03, 04, 08, 09)

Sectional Semifinal: def. #4 Racine Case 24-26, 25-13, 25-18, 25-21
Sectional Final: def. #2 Greendale 13-25, 25-14, 23-25, 25-19, 17-15

Despite an even 4-4 mark in the Southeast Conference race, Horlick was the southeastern-most sectional’s top seed. And the Rebels lived up to that top seed with in a hard-fought sectional semifinal victory over league rival Racine Case and a five-set, extra-point thriller over defending sectional champ Greendale. Horlick has actually been pretty dominant in this sectional as of late, earning its sixth state berth in the past 11 years. Though for the Rebels to win its first title since 2003 it will likely rely on senior outside Mitch Greiner. Greiner has led the team in kills all season long, averaging over eight per match, while fellow senior outside Ben Schultz adds 5.7 kills per match while junior setter Jacob McReynolds runs the Rebels’ 5-1 offense with nearly 21 assists per match.