Boys’ Volleyball Claims Second Championship
The boys’ varsity volleyball team claimed yet another championship title this year. While the team was only introduced at Exeter three years ago, it has already won the championship two years in a row, proving the strength of its program and its ability to dominate in the league. Co-captains and seniors Max Kirsch, Kyle Xia and Cesar Zamudio led the team alongside Coach Bruce Shang.
The boys’ 8-1 record was exactly what Shang and the returning players had wanted. Their one impediment came from their second game, against Northfield Mount Hermon School at home. This loss, however, motivated the team to prepare harder during the next weeks leading up to the New England Tournament, which was also held at Exeter. “I think in a way losing that second game to NMH was an important wake-up call,” upper Graham Rutledge said. “We needed to feel defeat to keep us continuing our best during practices—especially since we then knew NMH would be our top competitor.” After winning the morning game against Andover, the team then battled its third game against NMH in the finals, leading to the championship title.
Many of the team’s players also attributed their success to Shang’s consistent dedication and assertiveness. In the past two years, Shang has claimed both a girls’ and boys’ back-to-back championship title. He is always preparing throughout the season for the final game. “I think we owe all of our wins to Coach [Shang]. He trains us not only in strength, but in skill and tactic on the court,” Rutledge said. To give feedback to the team, Coach Shang also records every game on video and uploads them to Krossover—a game film tool that breaks down statistics for each player. Every practice throughout the season was thoughtfully utilized, and every play was meticulously analyzed.
“The dynamic of this team is very unique. Each member strives for his very best performance during each practice and game; constantly working towards improving his skill-set yet at the same time, we are able to maintain a friendly, supportive and enjoyable environment every time we come together.”
Resounding praise was also distributed amongst the entirety of the team. The notion of teamwork was heavily centralized within the group of guys. As observed by lower Don Assamongkol, at practice Shang would stress the importance of cheering, which “led [the] team to become tight-knit.” Prep Sam Michaels echoed this idea of team support. “We became very close to one another throughout the season. No one person excelled alone, but through the support from the players both on and off the court we were able to play as well as we did at each game,” he said.
Senior Tommy Cefalu also described the encouraging atmosphere of the team and its impact on the players. “The championship season was filled with a bunch of exciting plays from a group of great guys who cheered at the end of every play—whether good or bad, we cheered to keep our energy on the court,” he said.
During games, the team’s enthusiasm could be seen after every point, and the bench’s cheers’ often helped build positive spirits. In addition to the players’ uplifting attitudes, lower Noah Asch also credited his teammates’ dedication during practices to the team’s ultimate success. “We started off strong and hit a few rough spots in the middle of the season, but we continued showing up to practice prepared to get better,” he said. “A few boys would even show up to practice 30 minutes beforehand to work on certain skills.” Obvious improvement noted by Shang prompted the boys to continue working before and after practices—a true attestment to the team’s unyielding commitment.
The captains of this year’s team also helped lead the boys to great success. Captains Xia, upper Mitchell Kirsch and Zamudio were all front row starters during the games. According to Kirsch, the captains supported the team physically and emotionally, leading by example. “The captains made practice fun with their positive presence,” he said. “Everyone on the team knew their role with the guidance of the seniors, and practiced hard everyday to be the best at that role. The captains truly held the team together and made it possible for us to learn while making mistakes, yet still being comfortable and confident. They always give us a competitive kick of encouragement.”
All the boys have enjoyed being a part of the team, making it easy for them to enjoy competing in practice. Everyday, they came prepared to play against one another, helping them continuously progress in skill and prepare to compete against other fierce players. Lower Ori Evans gave a perfect example of the team’s competitiveness as he described his constant goal to block upper Ben Swett. “I love the guys. We may have won the championship, but I never blocked Ben Swett in practice, and the season’s not over until I do,” he said.
Next year, the captains for the season will be Rutledge, Mitchell Kirsch and Swett. All of them are hoping and ready for a three-peat championship. Indeed, Rutledge expressed hopeful continuation on the team’s success. “Next year will be good. Mitchell is a very talented setter, and we have Ben and I returning at the pin hitter positions. Noah Asch is back at libero, and Abel Ngala will also be key to our success next year. It will also be nice to get Kelvin Green back from China. He is very talented,” he said.
Senior Adam Ahmed conveyed similar sentiment in regards to the team’s success this season. “The dynamic of this team is very unique. Each member strives for his very best performance during each practice and game; constantly working towards improving his skill-set yet at the same time, we are able to maintain a friendly, supportive and enjoyable environment every time we come together,” he said. “Even while being swamped with work as an Exeter student, I have never once not looked forward to a volleyball practice or game. I know they will continue growing as a team next year and succeed in the following seasons. Looking back, my only regret is that I won’t be with the boys next year!”