quick post on the spikers

I wanted to quickly share some of my thoughts from Friday night before a busy sports Sunday (MLB, NBA and of course the women's final four).
Friday I was out at Southington for the first glimpse of the Knights volleyball team, which lost in the state championship match last year to Staples. During that match, me and my fellow writers felt the one thing missing for Southington was a true hitter, who could put points away against an elite defense. The Knights played defense well already, had an elite setter (who coincidentally was their best hitter as well last year) and served well as a unit.
Well, I'll say this. If Southington doesn't win the title this year, it WILL be a disappointment. This team is loaded. It simply has all the weapons it needs, including an elite coach in Lou Gianacopolous.
Watching the Knights dismantle a good Greenwich team (good, but not great), it was difficult to find a weak spot on the court. And as for that hitter...
There's plenty. Setter/right side hitter Brendan McGourn is back first off, and seems to keep getting better. Mariusz Kurzatkowski, who played as a sophomore, is back after focusing on soccer alone for a year. Mariusz is a leaper, with a high ability to place his shots between blockers and defenders. Rob Palko looks like a hitting machine right now, so much more confident than he's been, and more powerful. And Dave Taricani, who would be a top hitter for a lot of programs, might be the fourth option for this team, if its possible to put any of these guys above the others.
Where does a defense look to defend? To make matters harder, McGourn, who might be the top all-around player in the state, isn't the lone setter. Gianacopolous will employ the two-setter rotation with sophomore Nick DeFeo in the first slot, leaving McGourn to be a hitter as well. DeFeo isn't as experienced, but is certainly talented and learning.
And as for that defense, which most coaches will tell you is the biggest key to winning, Brendan Charmut looks like a potential all-conference player (or better down the road) as a middle blocker.
My apologies to the other Knights who I haven't noticed enough yet. This is a deep team as well, and how role players perform will be key in its success.
I have no doubt this is the most talented volleyball team I've covered. I can't wait to see if they are the best.


On a side note, if the rain and snow lets up for a couple days, which I think it's supposed to, I'll be at the Newington vs. New Britain baseball game on Monday, my first baseball game of the year.
I love this matchup. Two big schools with a lot of baseball tradition. Two great coaches in Eric Frank and Brian Crowley. It's a minor rivalry despite not playing in the same division of the CCC. And I love getting out to the Hive to spend time with New Britain jokesters Paul Majewski and Randy Brochu. The New Britain sports staff is by far the most cohesive as a group. They all seem to enjoy working with each other and rooting for each other. That's what high school sports should be about.
Come on down and check it out if you're lucky enough to have afternoons free this time of year.