Blazers finished the season with 21 wins.
By Mike Miazga
Correspondent
The Addison Trail boys volleyball team dropped a 25-20, 25-18 decision to Lake Park in the semifinals of the Rockford East sectional.
Addison Trail finished the season with a 21-17 record.
Earlier, the Blazers were 25-15, 25-10 winners over St. Charles East in the championship match of the Streamwood regional.
Jacob Grygo had 17 assists and seven kills. Michael Pudlo had seven kills and four aces, while Colton Noel had six kills and two blocks. David Zielinski had four kills, four assists, six digs and one ace.
Addison Trail reached the regional final thanks to a 25-14, 27-25 win over Schaumburg. Grygo had 13 assists, four kills, three blocks and three digs. Zielinski had seven assists, seven digs and two kills. Pudlo had nine kills and two aces, while Noel had four kills. Alex Murillo had two kills and four blocks.
In other recent action, the Blazers dropped a 25-23, 25-23 West Suburban Conference crossover match to Oak Park-River Forest. Noel had nine kills, while Grygo had 14 assists and four kills.
Through the end of the regular season Noel was leading the team in kills with 189, while Grygo was next at 184. Arlind Rojba was leading the team in digs with 332. Grygo was the team leader in assists with 573, while Zielinski was tops in aces with 28 and Noel was leading the team in blocks with 65.
Murillo returned to the lineup for the Blazers at the Willlowbrook tournament. “That gave us a big boost,” said Addison Trail coach Chad Grant earlier last week. “We now have really good size at the net.”
Grant also saw the team take a step forward at the service line. “Our serving toughness and accuracy has really improved throughout the season,” he said.
Noel was lauded for his late-season play. “Things have really clicked for Colton in the last few weeks,” said Grant. “He is playing like one of the best offensive middles in the state.”
Grant also gave his thoughts on the team’s improved defense and its blocking. “We have played solid defense in some recent matches, but it has been inconsistent,” he said earlier last week. “We look really tough to beat when we are making plays on defense. Our blocking will be the key to our success in the postseason. We have struggled with this skill most of the season, but we should be a strong blocking team with our height.”
