Lockport’s Evan Dziadkowiec is all set being a setter.
Even if the 6-foot-1 sophomore experiences a growth spurt in the next few years, Dziadkowiec said he would not be interested in changing positions and turning into a hitter.
“I’ll always be a setter,” he said. “I love the position and running the team. It’s like being a quarterback in football. And it’s fun.”
As a freshman in 2021, Dziadkowiec paced the Porters to their best season in program history with a 22-4 record and a spot in the state quarterfinals.
He had 415 assists, 107 digs and 22 aces, including one on his first serve in the state quarterfinals against Lincoln-Way East.
Dziadkowiec had some good hitters to set to in Matt Arens (Lindenwood), Owen Knezevich (St. Norbert) and Carter Steffgen (Trine), all of whom are now playing in college.
This season, Dziadkowiec also has some good hitters, including seniors Braeden Goebbert and Matthew Krzos and sophomores Josh Bluhm and Wade Welke.
Dziadkowiec is being relied upon for leadership in 2022 because he has more experience than most of the players on Lockport’s roster.
“I’m more comfortable now and I have to step up and be a leader,” he said. “It’s not too much of a jump. I’m ready for it.”
Lockport coach Nick Mraz, who’s in his 10th year, wasn’t expecting the inexperienced Porters (11-2) to open this season as well as they have.
Mraz credited some of that success to his setter.
“He is one of the fiercest competitors I’ve had,” Mraz said of Dziadkowiec. “He’s vocal. He wants to win. Every drill in practice he is competitive, and the hope is that it becomes infectious.
“He’s still a sophomore and he still has a lot to learn. But he has grown into the role and the guys are listening.”
Dziadkowiec, who also plays basketball for the Porters, plans to continue in both sports during his high school career. He said he will likely choose volleyball to play in college.
During the club volleyball season, he helped Ultimate’s 15 Gold team to a 13th-place finish in the Open Division of the USA Volleyball Junior National Championship.
Mraz wasn’t afraid to start Dziadkowiec as a freshman last spring in such an important position.
While Mraz eased him into the lineup running a 6-2 offense, Dziadkowiec became the main setter in a 5-1 system after only 13 matches.
“He was gaining confidence and performing well,” Mraz said. “When you are performing like that, it doesn’t matter of you are a freshman or a senior.”
Double duty: St. Ambrose has two area players who have committed for the unique combination of volleyball and football.
St. Rita’s Charlie Flynn, a 6-6 senior middle hitter in volleyball and a wide receiver in football, will bring his big-game pedigree to St. Ambrose.
As a junior in 2021, Flynn paced the Mustangs to the state quarterfinals in volleyball. During his senior football season, he helped St. Rita to a second-place finish in the state in Class 7A.
Lincoln-Way East’s Jon Guch also is heading to the NAIA school for both sports.
All in the family: After Joliet Catholic’s 25-22, 26-28, 25-16 victory March 29 at Providence, nine of the 12 players on the roster had to make quick exits.
Seniors Andrew Birsa, Justin Budz and Blake Darcy and juniors Carter Holbrook, Jason Koenings, Luke and Zach Pekol, Johnny Budz and Preston Buss rushed back to the Student Activity Center for a National Honor Society ceremony.
Justin and Johnny Budz are brothers. Jeffrey, their older brother, is the Hilltoppers’ coach.
Jeff Vorva is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
