PENNSBURY BOYS VOLLEYBALL PREVIEW
Coach: Justin Fee (9th season)
Key players: Dalton Zimmerman (Middle) - honorable mention all-league last year, Pat Merrick (Setter/Opp) - honorable mention all-league last year, Sean Kropp (Opp/S), Troy Pereira (Libero), Chris Spano (OH), Neil Helsel (OH).
Overall Assessment:
All six players above started on the team last year. Dalton Zimmerman started last season as a junior, and the rest of the crew started as sophomores. We also have another starting middle hitter Spencer McCullough who got significant playing time as a sophomore filling in for an injured player last season.
It crazy to say that we expect to be much better this season considering the fact that we lost a Div. 1 player in Jim Zaluski (now playing @ Loyola of Chicago), Nate Hall (All District), and Eric Tepel (Starting Libero). However, last year’s team was a group of decent players (10th graders) that were asked to play too early in their careers. It was unfortunate that we did not have a big junior class last season to help support our seniors. Instead, we had a talented group of sophomores that really were not quite ready to make a serious run at the district title and a state playoff run. However, their experience last season was invaluable, and now that group is beginning to play with more confidence and consistency.
Currently, we have only two players in our senior class, one of which was not on the team last year as a junior. On the bright side of things, our juniors this season are very experienced players who continue to grow as players, and the class below them is big and talented. Currently, the future looks optimistic. We did have a successful offseason, winning a few of our AAU tournaments and always at least making it to the final four of every tournament. Hopefully, we will continue to put it all together and be playing our best volleyball at the end of the season when it really counts.
Pennsbury history over the past 8 seasons:
2011: 8-4 SOL, 9-6 Overall.
Suburban One League:
110-6 95% (win percent) 65 wins in a row, April 20th 2006 (lost to Neshaminy) to April 2011 (lost to Neshaminy)
Won 6 out of 8 conference championships (2004, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010)
District One:
18-5
(2006, 2008, & 2009 District #1 Champions, 2004, 2007, & 2010 District #1 Runners up)
PIAA Championships:
2004 – 4-2 Finalist 2ndplace
2005 – 0-0 (#10 in PA volleyball coaches poll)
2006 – 2-2 Quarterfinalist (final 8)
2007 – 4-2 Finalist 2ndplace
2008 – 2-2 (quarterfinalist) #5 in state
2009 – 2-2 (quarterfinalist) #5 in state
2010 – 5-1 Finalist 2ndplace
Overall record since 2004 (League, District #1, PIAA)
153 – 23 87% (winning percentage)
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