Boys’ Volleyball Preview: After winning SoCal title, Burroughs makes big move up
The buzzword for this season’s boys’ volleyball teams is change.
Burroughs High is the only program that hasn’t experienced a coaching change. But the big change for the Indians will come about when they begin the CIF Southern Section playoffs. Following a phenomenal 2016 campaign that included another Pacific League title, advancement to a CIF Southern Section Division II championship match and a Southern California Regional title, Burroughs was moved up to Division I.
“We talked about it some when it first came out and we were moved up,” Burroughs Coach Joel Brinton said. “That’s really something we can’t do anything about. I always say worry about the things you can change, and you can’t change that.”
The other three schools that are fielding teams this season have new coaches, as Gabby Gallardo takes over at Burbank, Nicole Broullaird takes over at Providence and Bell-Jeff athletic director Fred Martinez will pilot the Guards.
Lycee International of Los Angeles planned to field a team with new coach Aurelie Royer, but had to scrap the squad after lack of interest.
Here is a closer look at the teams.
BURROUGHS
The Indians enjoyed a historic season during the 2016 campaign. Burroughs went 31-6, captured its seventh straight Pacific League championship with a 12-0 showing, advanced to the Southern Section Division II final and claimed the SoCal Regional Division II crown , defeating Oak Park in four games.
It was the first Southern California Regional crown for the school or the city in any sport.
Burroughs lost some key contributors, including All-Area Boys’ Volleyball Player of the Year Ryan Van Loo, a setter who tallied 1,125 assists.
But the Indians have a group of players that returns from a year ago and Brinton expects to maintain the success of the program.
“Obviously we lost some very, very important guys who were key guys for us, everybody knows that, but we’re excited with what we have coming back,” said Brinton, whose team has a 43-match league winning streak. “We think that we have a good group of guys that will help us be successful again.”
Returning all-league players for the Indians are senior outside hitter Connor Ludlum (241 kills, 154 digs, 34 aces), who is currently injured, and senior libero Skyler Bercini (324 digs, 16 aces and 43 assists).
“That’s just nice to have that consistency back with the two of them,” Brinton said. “Just those two pieces alone, two-thirds of our passing core in place, is huge for us.”
Also expected to contribute are senior middle Jarrett Malone, junior middle Cole Kaitz, senior libero Everett Kanoho and junior setter Levi Benitez.
New to the Pacific League this season, Claremont is no longer a member.
“We are going to get as prepared for league with our nonleague schedule, so once league rolls around we will be ready to go,” Brinton said.
BURBANK
The Bulldogs (20-12, 9-3 in league) finished runner-up in the Pacific League and set a program record for wins in a season.
Patrick McMenamin, who also serves as the school’s co-athletic director, has stepped aside as the program’s coach and he has been replaced by Gallardo, who coached at Hoover, which made the playoffs for the first time this century.
“The transition for me to a new program has been really great,” Gallardo said. “The players have been really receptive to what I have brought to the program and they have done everything that I’ve asked of them.
“It is a good group and they definitely want to be better and they have been really working hard.”
Burbank will feature four returning players and four seniors. A key returner is senior setter Jonathan Tapan (702 assists, 30 kills and 122 digs), a second-team all-league selection. Also returning are senior outside hitter Zack Cranmer, junior opposite Jonathan Ragheb and senior setter/opposite Adrian Rivera.
“Jonathan [Tapan] has definitely stepped up and he is one of our captains this year,” Gallardo said. “He has the experience at the varsity level and he is showing that with some of his younger teammates.”
Other possible impact players are junior middle Rory Rickey and junior libero Eddie Curran.
“In league, you don’t expect less from Burroughs, so they will probably be the top team again this year,” Gallardo said. ‘They just have a dominating program.”
PROVIDENCE
The Pioneers (17-9, 11-3) placed third in the Liberty League last season. The team won its playoff opener against St. Genevieve in four games before falling to Damien in three.
Broullaird inherits a team that lost 10 players to graduation, including all-leaguers Michael Buenaventura (200 kills and 192 digs) and Ethan Jacobson (106 kills and 46 blocks).
“It is a great group of boys,” Broullaird said. “With what we lost from last year we’re going to be young, but they have been very perceptive so far and they really want to learn and ask a lot of questions.
“We only have a few returners from last year and we do have some freshmen on the team as well. It is a rebuilding year for sure, but I have already seen a huge improvement with the team from the time I started working with them.”
Returning for the Pioneers will be junior libero/defensive specialist Zack Hurst, senior middle Darian Hackett and junior opposite Zach Pikhart.
“I think those are going to be three of our main guys for us,” Broullaird said. “But we also have some other guys who are battling it out for spots, which is nice to have that kind of competition within the team. They are working hard and that’s all I can ask them.”
BELLARMINE-JEFFERSON
The Guards (3-10, 3-8) are coming off a season in which they tied for third in the Santa Fe League and didn’t qualify for the playoffs.
Bell-Jeff will field a small team and play in a league that continues to dwindle.
“The league is really struggling to stay alive and we will have just four teams this season,” said Martinez, whose Guards will be joined in league by Cantwell Sacred Heart, St. Bernard and St. Pius X-St. Matthias Academy. “If we lose a team, then we won’t be able to go on as a league and the teams would have to be absorbed into another league.
“Cantwell Secred Heart should be the best team in the league this season, They only have seven kids on that team, but they’re very good.”
Martinez, who will be assisted by Brandon France, said he will have a core of five players that he will rely on to lead the squad.
That group consists of junior outside hitters James Filmadrossian and Joseph Noh, junior setter Sean Mayor, junior right side Kyle Balmonte and senior defensive specialist Arron Herrera.
“Before I even took over the team, the players had been working together for a month and a half on their own,” Martinez said. “So that just shows their dedication and their desire to get better.
“It’s not like last year when some of them were just there to be there. This season they want to be there and they want to be successful.”
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Jeff Tully, jeff.tully@latimes.com
Twitter: @jefftsports
