At 5 feet 9 and 130 pounds, Bartlett’s Martin Radomski looks a bit overmatched facing off against the taller towers of power who dominate the net in boys volleyball.
At Saturday’s U-46 Tournament, however, every opponent facing the sophomore outside hitter seemed to be a bit overwhelmed.
Radomski put down 20 kills and also excelled in the back row in leading the host Hawks to a 4-1 record and their first title in the third year of the round-robin event.
“I’ve got a pretty good vertical,” Radomski said. “I try to play smart and put the ball where it’s supposed to go.”
Not even two hand injuries could stop Radomski from unleashing a variety of hits.
“After the lunch break, Martin played banged up,” Bartlett coach Bob Schwantz said. “He jammed his pinkie in our third match.
“And also he came in with the webbing between his thumb and (index) finger gouged up from a nail.”
But Radomski and his brother Thomas, a senior, put the hammer down on four opponents. Thomas Radomski finished with 17 kills.
The Hawks (4-2) saved their best match for an anticipated showdown against Elgin (4-2), which was led by 6-8 Courtese Cooper and 6-3 Marcus Gonzalez.
“Our communication was excellent in that match,” Thomas Radomski said. “Everybody was jumping up and down and into it. It was great team spirit that won it over them.”
Bartlett’s 25-21, 25-19 win over Elgin provided a tiebreaker edge needed by the Hawks, who lost 25-15, 25-23 to South Elgin in the day’s final match.
“Tom played amazing in the back row, and our passing was amazing,” Schwantz said. “Our setters were very fortunate in that (Elgin match).”
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Martin Radomski pointed to blocks by 6-5 front-row teammates Dmytro Kylyushyk and Jacob Bush as key against Elgin.
“We’re a young team,” Martin Radomski said. “We have a lot of sophomores, but we can do some great things this year, and the future definitely looks great, too.”
Elgin accomplished something Bartlett couldn’t, defeating South Elgin and standout outside hitter Tyler Turner with a 25-19, 25-22 decision.
“We lost the one to Bartlett but won everything else,” Elgin coach Scott Stewart said. “We wish we could have that one over against Bartlett.
“Marcus (Gonzalez) played better than I’ve seen him, and Walker Demel had a good day for us. He’s matured a lot.”
The Hawks already had clinched the title after four matches prior to playing South Elgin because Streamwood also upset the Storm 17-25, 25-21, 15-9.
South Elgin (4-2) settled for third with a 3-2 record. Turner had 10 kills against Bartlett, while Michael Bardfield added eight.
“Tyler is our go-to guy if we need kills,” South Elgin coach Adam Plach said. “He’s likely to be going to Aurora, which is starting up volleyball. He is our Mr. Volleyball.”
Bartlett and South Elgin square off again Tuesday in Upstate Eight play.
“Tyler, Bardfield and Aaron (Gephart) are our returning seniors and know a lot of volleyball,” Plach said. “But we are a green team and have a lot of guys who are thrown into it this year and haven’t figured out this level yet.”
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