BOYS’ VOLLEYBALL PREVIEW:A new day for Sage

Dan Thomassen said check back in a month to find out how good his Sage Hill School boys’ volleyball team will be this season.

Right now the future is clouded with inexperience, but Thomassen said the Lightning have a bright future whether it is in 2007 or 2008.

“The athleticism and enthusiasm is there,” said Thomassen, taking over for Merja Connolly-Freund, who coached the team for six seasons.

Thomassen is now the coach of both the boys’ and girls’ teams and as an assistant on the boys’ team last season he is familiar with the talent level that has remained from a team which reached the second round of the CIF Southern Section Division V playoffs.

“There is already a good foundation that Merja started,” said Thomassen, who does not have an assistant yet. “I just want to change it a little bit to get us to play at a higher level.”

The team and its experience level was dealt a huge blow when Thomassen discovered junior outside hitter Jamie McGee might miss the entire season due to a shoulder injury. McGee was named second-team all-Academy League last season. McGee is one of two all-league honorees from last season that did not graduate; sophomore outside hitter Bayle Smith was first-team.

“He’s a talented athlete,” Thomassen said of McGee. “It’s slim that he’ll come back. I talked to him [Tuesday]. The doctors don’t want him aggravating it. He definitely wants to contribute. He made big strides last year. He just needs to get healthy.”

As a result the leadership role will rest on the shoulders of Smith. Thomassen said Smith will play an important part in the Lightning’s success this season. Smith’s abilities as a hitter and setter, he had nine kills and 20 assists in a second-round loss to Chadwick, give Sage Hill versatility.

“He was our best attacker last year as a freshman,” Thomassen said. “I expect him to take more of a leadership role even though he’s a sophomore. He’s a smart aggressive player. With his experience and athleticism he will help the others get better.”

Junior Carl Hillgren will be the Lightning’s setter and as a result, Thomassen said he will have some control of the pace of Sage Hill’s improvement.

“Carl is another good athlete,” Thomassen said of Hillgren, who has been on varsity since he was a freshman. “He’s incredibly hard working. We’ll get better as he gets better.”

Moving up from junior varsity and filling holes on the team will be sophomore outside hitter-middle blocker Harlan Webster.

“He was one of the leaders on JV last year,” Thomassen said. “He’s grown up physically and he played [club volleyball] during the off season.”

The remainder of the roster is lacking in varsity experience, as the Lightning had seven seniors on the 12-man roster last season. But Thomassen said he expects the team to work its way up quickly because of its athleticism and determination.

Sophomore Michael Bear, libero-setter, and senior Alex Edelstein, an outside hitter, are from the league-champion soccer team.

“We are really young, we really have no seniors that have a lot of experience,” Thomassen said. “Next year will be a big year, but this year who knows. They’re going to get better in the next month. From what I’ve seen they are going to progress really quickly.”

Middle blockers Evan McLean and Luke Droulez are both seniors. Middle blocker David Ardila and outside hitter Tucker Pettis are sophomores. Junior Austin Apramian and freshmen Joey Booth, outside hitter, and Mattias Russo-Larsson, libero, are expected to contribute as well.

THE LIGHTNING

Evan McLean Sr.

Luke Droulez Sr.

Carl Hillgren Jr.

Bayle Smith So.

Alex Edelstein Sr.

Michael Bear So.

David Ardila So.

Joey Booth Fr.

Harlan Webster So.

Mattias Russo-Larsson Fr.

Tucker Pettis So.

Austin Apramian Jr.

Coach: Dan Thomassen (first year)