For a defending league champion that didn
’t lose a league match last season, the Live Oak High boys
volleyball team sure is being treated like a big underdog.
For a defending league champion that didn’t lose a league match last season, the Live Oak High boys volleyball team sure is being treated like a big underdog.
According to first-year Acorn coach James Uthes, all the talk at a pre-season coaches’ meeting centered around other teams in the league, such as Palma — Live Oak’s opponent in its Tri-County Athletic League opener on Wednesday. The Acorn boys host the Chieftains at 6:30 p.m.
“They gave Palma a lot of credit and they didn’t give us any,” Uthes said.
To be fair, Live Oak lost a slew of seniors off last season’s TCAL champion squad, and Palma reportedly boasts a number of club players on this year’s team. But Uthes said he’s going to use the apparent lack of respect to motivate his players. And, he said he believes his team could surprise Palma and the rest of the league.
“I’m not going to say we’re going to beat them easily but we’ll give it our best,” he said.
Live Oak (3-2 overall in non-league play) has just three varsity returners, including 6-foot-8 senior middle Chris Deem, junior outside hitter Royce Newcomb and senior power Cameron Bassett.
But the Acorns added key players from last year’s JV squad that also went undefeated, including senior Mike Strokis, senior Ryan Siebert and senior Jordan Burdick.
