Glenbrook South’s Gordon McConnell is hardly lacking in motivation this spring.
The memories of a 15-11, 15-7 loss to Sandburg in last year’s boys volleyball state title game are more than enough to keep the Titans’ senior outside hitter going.
“We all felt we should have won that game,” said McConnell, a three-year starter and returning Tribune first-team All-Stater. “I’ve watched that game at least 30-40 times on tape. … and I’ve got the final [1999 volleyball] rankings on my ceiling above my bed.”
The first 2000 Tribune rankings give the Titans a slight edge atop a highly competitive field. And that’s the only place McConnell wants to be when the season concludes in 11 weeks.
“Anything else would be pretty much not acceptable,” he said. “Our team has never gotten a state championship. We’ve had one of the top five teams ever in the state, yet we’ve never been able to win a state championship. That just keeps me going.”
Glenbrook South, one of the state’s original programs, has a 203-48-5 record under head coach Patty Iverson. The Titans have never had a losing season since the program began in 1992 and have been to state three times, including a third-place finish in 1996.
The 18-year-old McConnell, who stands 6 feet 5 inches and weighs 160 pounds, is the latest in a series of Titan standouts and the third brother to play at the north suburban power.
Oldest brother Ken McConnell played for the Titans in the program’s early years, while Dave McConnell was on South’s 1997 state qualifying team.
Gordon, meanwhile, recorded 343 kills last spring as South went 33-5-2.
“Gordon’s got a great attitude,” Iverson said. “All three of them do. It’s a nice family. They’ve all had a great work ethic. All are basically quiet kids who say what needs to be said but don’t have a lot of extraneous talk.”
“Gordon’s quiet but he’s got a good sense of humor,” Iverson said. “He’s kind of easy-going. At team meetings he jokes around and takes a joke very well. . . . Most people respect him immensely.”
McConnell prefers to let his playing make a statement.
“I’m pretty much a quiet leader,” he said. “I’m not vocal on the court at all. I mostly keep to myself but try to lead by example.”
But McConnell won’t hesitate to vocalize when necessary.
“He’ll say things that need to be said,” Iverson said. “Other leaders on the team will stop and listen to him when he says something.”
Through three years starting, McConnell has grown so versatile that Iverson admits she’s not always sure where best to play him.
“It’s fortunate that we can think about using him in more than one position,” she said.
“I’d like to see him do some setting, but I don’t want to take him out of the offense. He can hit left side and right side and he also hits very well out of the back row. And he’s also become an outstanding blocker.”
McConnell credits Iverson for making him into the player he is today.
“She’s the best coach I’ve ever had,” he said. “I’d say almost all of my volleyball talent is because of her. . . . I’ve learned how to pass from her, my hitting’s gotten so much better with her [and] I’m such a smarter hitter from sophomore year to now.”
Along with McConnell, Glenbrook South returns a high-powered middle hitter in David Williams, who had 190 kills and 92 blocks.
And big things are expected from senior middle Dan Volpe, who had 23 kills in limited action last year. “We’re such a high-caliber team with three players who in my opinion could get all-state–me, Williams and Volpe. No one’s ever heard of [Volpe] before and he will turn some heads, I promise you that.”
The Titans’ initial challenge ahead is to learn to play together.
“We have the team unity but on the court we’ve never really played [together] and that’s going to take a week or two just to get together.”
South will get early tests on Monday against No. 5 Stevenson and at next weekend’s Buffalo Grove Invitational, which features state champion Sandburg, Naperville North and the host Bison, three other Tribune Top 10 teams.
VOLLEYBALL TOP 10
1. Glenbrook South
The 1999 state runner-up and perennial powerhouse features versatile senior and three-year starter Gordon McConnell (343 kills) as well as Dave Williams (215 kills and 99 blocks). Big things are also expected from senior Dan Volpe.
2. Sandburg
Two starters return from the 1999 state championship team: outside hitter Bob St. Leger (team-high 355 kills) and junior middle Greg Pochopien (135 kills, 178 blocks). “We have all the pieces,” said Eagles coach Joann Holverson, who won volleyball titles with both her girls and boys teams last year.
3. Naperville North
The Huskies lost five of six starters to graduation but this traditional power will reload, not rebuild around senior Joe Bruzdzinski (267 kills, 80 blocks, 46 aces), an imposing force in the middle. Junior setter Mike Gawlik had a strong club season and is expected to have a big impact.
4. Evanston
Record-setting All-State setter Andris Lizenbergs graduated, but just about everyone else is back for the Wildkits, including senior outside hitters Colin Simmons (406 kills) and Jim Waller (299 kills, 83 blocks) and junior Andrew Pink (220 kills).
5. Stevenson
The Patriots had one of the state’s top records (34-3) but lost to Glenbrook South in last spring’s sectional finals. Returning all-conference players like senior setter Chris Reilly and senior outside hitter David Jossund hope for a different outcome this year.
6. Wheaton Warrenville S.
Three starters graduated, but the Tigers return solid players in 6-7 junior outside hitter Sean Rooney (242 kills, 52 aces); senior middle hitter Chris Belshe; and junior defensive specialist Jason Lee. Talent from a 27-5 junior-varsity team will add depth.
7. Mt. Carmel
Junior-dominated, but cohesive Caravan has played together through high school and club seasons and rate the early edge in the Catholic League. Top returnees include junior setter Troy Vidovic and middle Niels Pederson.
8. Providence
Seniors Robbie Martin, a 6-8 middle hitter, and outside hitter Brett Krapil lead a veteran senior group that includes three returning starters. Martin and Krapil both earned all-Catholic League honors.
9. Lyons Township
The Lions qualified for state for the first time last year and boast four returnees with 100 or more kills apiece, including returning starters Greg Ganzel (161 kills, 51 blocks) and Reed LeMar (170 kills).
10. Buffalo Grove
Senior outside Jon Rymsza (335 kills, 74 aces), senior middle Dan Ahern (242 kills) and junior setter Tom Mendosa (611 assists) form the core for the Bison, who return five of six starters.
Best of the rest: Glenbrook North, Prospect, Hersey, York, Lake Park, Lincoln-Way, St. Charles, Stagg, Morton.
TOP PLAYERS
Outside hitters: Alex Cullom, Sr., St. Charles; Dave Gladys, Jr., Maine West; Jim Hertzberg, Sr., New Trier; David Jossund, Sr., Stevenson; Brett Krapil, Sr., Providence; Brian Lavin, Sr., Highland Park; Reed LeMar, Sr., Lyons Township; Gordon McConnell, Sr., Glenbrook South; Ryan McLernon, Sr., Oak Lawn; David Munz, Sr., Prospect; T.J. Olson, Sr., Lake Park; Niels Pederson, Jr., Mt. Carmel; Andrew Pink, Jr., Evanston; Sean Rooney, Jr.,Wheaton Warrenville South; Jon Rymsza, Sr., Buffalo Grove; Neal Sieroslawski, Sr., Prospect; Colin Simmons, Sr., Evanston; Bob St. Leger, Sr., Sandburg; Adam Toren, Sr., Loyola; Jim Waller, Sr., Evanston; Brian Zofkie, Sr., Brother Rice.
Middle hitters: Dan Ahern, Sr., Buffalo Grove; Chris Belshe, Jr., Wheaton Warrenville S.; Joe Bruzdzinski, Sr., Naperville North; Greg Ganzel, Sr., Lyons Township; Chris Haney, Jr., Lake Park; Robbie Martin, Sr., Providence; Joe McNerney, Sr., Hersey; Greg Pochopien, Jr., Sandburg; Kyle Reid, Sr., Glenbrook North; Chad Rusk, Sr., Shepard; Rich Sebby, Sr., York; Dan Volpe, Sr., Glenbrook South; Dave Williams, Sr., Glenbrook South; Brian Zielinski, Sr., Barrington.
Setters: Dan Bernardo, Sr., Wheaton North; Joe Brickler, Sr., Hersey; Tim Fash, Sr., Lockport; Mike Gawlik, Jr., Naperville North; Alex Kalayil, Sr., Maine West; Andy Kim, Sr., Glenbrook North; Tony Kim, Sr., Niles West; Scott Klier, Sr., Lincoln-Way; Krystian Krzyzak, Jr., Prospect; Dan Malloy, Jr., Waubonsie Valley; Tom Mendosa, Jr., Buffalo Grove; Chris Reilly, Sr., Stevenson; Dustin Rusakiewicz, Sr., Hoffman Estates; Brandon Sisk, So., Stagg; Ryan Skendzel, Sr., Oak Lawn; Kurt Steuer, Sr., Downers Grove South; Troy Vidovic, Jr., Mt. Carmel; Matt Windland, Sr., St. Charles.
