It’s impossible to ignore once the New Trier boys volleyball team steps onto the court. The Trevians are huge. With a lineup that features eight players standing 6-foot-4 or taller, including three at 6-7 or taller, the Trevians know they not only have a size advantage, but a mental edge as well.
“Our team’s scary,” 6-7 junior outside hitter Brian Kaiser said with a laugh. “Literally (almost) everyone is over 6 feet and only our defensive specialists are the short ones. If we get tired and sub out, you put in another 6-8 guy, so for the other team, I can’t imagine how they feel, but they probably do not feel good when they see all of us out there.”
Loyola can confirm Kaiser’s assertion after their match on Thursday in Northfield. New Trier used its size advantage against a much smaller Ramblers club to roll to a 25-10, 27-25 win.
“It’s hard, because they’re so big. I think at one point they went 6-8, 6-8, 6-7 in the front row and it was like, ‘Wow,'” Loyola coach Lionel Ebeling said. “Their block is phenomenal and it’s fun to watch unless you’re on the other side of it.”
New Trier coach Sue Ellen Haak has had tall teams in the past and said this one, however, is different.
“You can have a big team and not block well. We’ve had them here,” Haak said. “But this team is big and they blocked well tonight and they were pretty solid defensively, and that can really terrify teams. So that kind of pulled us away in the second and also made us pretty dominant in the first.”
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The tallest of the Trevians is senior Billy Fauntleroy, who is 6-8 and also the team’s best player. Fauntleroy, who has committed to USC, had six kills and three blocks against the Ramblers. He led the Trevians in kills last season playing on the outside and is doing more of the same so far this year, but in a more hybrid role in which he’ll also attack from the middle.
“You don’t need a tall team to be good, but it sure helps a lot,” said Fauntleroy, a Winnetka resident. “Our team, I’d say, is just so intimidating at the net. The other team just gets scared and when we get confident, our tall guys are so talented and so athletic that the other team just gets so scared and we’re able to convert on all those finesse plays and it makes a heck of a difference.”
New Trier’s finesse shots, which Fauntleroy alluded to, had a high success rate against Loyola, largely because of the power each hitter is able to put behind his usual attacks. Fauntleroy; 6-6 junior Joe D’Attomo, who had four kills and three blocks; and Kaiser are all able to generate plenty of velocity on their swings.
“Technique is what gives you power,” said Kaiser, a Wilmette resident. “It doesn’t matter how strong you are, if you hit it with the right form and you jump up and smack it, elbow high, you’ll absolutely destroy the ball. No matter how tall you are.”
Last season the Trevians finished second at state. Motivated by not winning the title and aided by its height advantage, New Trier wants to win it all this year.
“We take it game by game, but our ultimate goal is to win the state title,” Fauntleroy said. “We know that we’re going to have the same tough competition in the playoffs, but that’s why every game in the regular season we’re working to get to Hoffman Estates and win that state title this year.”
Brett Christie is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
Twitter @Pioneer_Press