18 USA division champions
SPVB 18 Alpha went 9-2 and won the 18 USA division of the 2018 USAV Boys Junior National Volleyball Championships in Phoenix, Arizona.
It was the Aurora-based club’s first boys title at BJNCs.
“(Head coach Victoria Vandeleur) and I both wore pink pants,” joked assistant coach Susie Nelson. “I think that’s what clinched it.”
Team members are Edward Jakubauskas, Parker Nelson, Jakub Migus, Cameron Menini, Matthew Russo, John Kenny, Petar Lumovic, Jeremy Cardenas, Ryan Swartz, Matthew Nealon, John Davis and Andrew Kohut.
John Davis from Naperville Central and Matt Nealon and Andrew Kohut from Metea Valley were named to the 18 USA division all-tournament team. Nealon, a 6-1 setter, was named tournament MVP.
Also, Neuqua Valley’s Kevin Kauling of SPVB 18 Elite, which finished fifth in the 18 Open division, was named to the 18 Open all-tournament team.
In the 16 USA division, Adversity Adidas 16 Purple (pictured above), based out of Vernon Hills, went 8-3 and finished second, falling to SASBoys 16s (Serve & Spike Volleyball Club out of Honolulu, Hawaii) 25-18, 26-24 in the championship match.
Adversity Adidas 16 Purple team members are: Lukas Pytlak, Kyle Orton, Andrew Wagan, Aidan Rico, Jesse Knuckles, Sonomdorj Tsogtbaatar, Logan Schaedel, Ben Ridgway, Evan Bajerski, David Foecking and Justin Ross. The head coach is Alan Ceisel.
Ben Ridgway of Barrington, and Evan Bajerski and Lukas Pytlak of Lake Zurich were named to the 16 USA division all-tournament team.
In the 16 Open division, St. Louis-based HPSTL B16 Royal (pictured above), which features four players from the Illinois side of the Mississippi River, finished 11th, the highest finish by a team from the Midwest in the field.
The Illinois players are Connor Sheehan (40) and Easton Gavin (27) from O’Fallon and Max Sellers (30) and Josh Whittenburg (50) from Edwardsville.
In the 17 Open division, Ultimate B17 Gold (pictured above) went 8-3 and finished second, falling 15-25, 25-22, 15-13 to Bay to Bay 16-1 out of the San Jose, California, area in the championship match.
Team members are Zachary Bulthuis, Chris Dargan, Andrew Wilkinson, Ben Pluskota, Wil McPhillps, Danny Pacini, Marty Jepsen, Louden Moran, Jack Yurkanin, Nicky Studer and David Flores.
Marty Jepsen from Marist, Wil McPhillips of Lincoln-Way East and David Flores of Lincoln-Way West were named to the all-tournament team.
Other all-tournament selections from Illinois were Aidan Peterson of Hitmen 16 Black in the 16 USA division, and Henry Clemons (Loyola) of Chicago Bounce 17 Red and Theodor Butler (Plainfield North) of Club 1 17 Red in the 17 Club division.
2018 USAV Boys’ Junior National Championships Monday, July 2-Monday, July 9, 2018, in Phoenix Convention Center, Phoenix, Arizona.
(Results by division in alphabetical order)
15 Open
Chicago Bounce 15 Red – 6-5, tied for 13th
Hitman 15 Elite – 4-5, tied for 25th
Serve City 15 National – 6-4, tied for 15th
SPVB B15 Elite – 7-3, tied for 13th
Ultimate B15 Gold – 4-8, tied for 31st
16 Open
Chicago Bounce 16 Red – 5-4, tied for 15th
D1 Elite 16 Green – 4-6, 18th place
Hitmen 16 Elite – 9-3, tied for 21st
HPSTL B16 Royal – 5-4, 11th place
SPVB B16 Elite – 6-4, 14th place
Uno Boys 16 Elite – 6-4, tied for 25th
17 Open
Adversity Adidas 17 Purple – 3-8, tied for 23rd
Ultimate B17 Gold – 8-3, finished second
18 Open
Adversity Adidas 18 Purple – 6-4, 10th place
D1 Elite 18 Green – 1-8, tied for 37th
Hitmen 18 Elite – 5-4, tied for 15th
Pipeline 18 Nike – 6-4, 29th place
SPVB B18 Elite – 6-3, tied for fifth
SSPVB 18 Lenny – 2-8, tied for 37th
Ultimate B18 Gold – 5-5, tied for 25th
16 USA
Adversity Adidas 16 Black – 0-9, tied for 23rd
Adversity Adidas 16 Purple – 8-3, finished second
Hitmen 16 Black – 5-4, tied for fifth
SPVB B16 Alpha – 3-6, tied for 13th
Ultimate B16 Black – 4-7, 18th place
17 USA
Chicago Bounce 17 Blue – 1-9, 22nd place
CVC 17 Adidas – 4-5, tied for 13th
Pipeline 17 Airmax – 1-8, tied for 13th
Pipeline 17 Nike – 7-3, tied for 11th
Ultimate B17 Black – 8-5, 10th place
Ultimate B17 Blue – 8-1, tied for fifth
Ultimate B17 Navy – 1-8, tied for 23rd
18 USA
Adversity Adidas 18 Black – 2-9, tied for 29th
SPVB B18 Alpha – 9-2, won championship
SPVB 19 Delta – 4-5, tied for 13th
15 Club
Chicago Bounce 15 Blue – 3-8, tied for 39th
D1 Elite 15 Green – 4-5, tied for 21st
Pipeline 15 Nike – 3-7, tied for 29th
SPVB B15 Alpha – 6-4, 17th place
Ultimate B15 Black – 6-6, 32nd place
Ultimate B15 Blue – 8-4, 31st place
16 Club
Chicago Bounce 16 Blue – 5-5, tied for 21st
Club 1 Boys 16 Red – 5-4, tied for 21st
D1 Elite 16 Black – 2-8, tied for 49th
SPVB B16 Bravo – 4-7, tied for 64th
Ultimate B16 Navy – 3-6, tied for 59th
Ultimate B16 Blue – 4-6, tied for 29th
Vortex 16 Storm – 6-5, 56th place
17 Club
Chicago Bounce 17 Red – 6-4, tied for fifth
Club 1 Boys 17 Red – 9-1, tied for fifth
Hitmen 17 Elite – 3-5, tied for 29th
Vortex 17 Storm – 2-9, tied for 41st
18 Club
Club 1 Boys 18 Red – 7-3, 25th place
SPVB B18 Bravo – 5-5, tied for 21st
SPVB B18 Charlie – 2-7, tied for 58th
Uno Boys 18 Elite – 5-4, tied for 13th
Vortex 18 Storm – 6-3, tied for 13th
Adversity Adidas 16 purple took 2nd, won silver in the 16 USA division.