When the defending state champs make a big run at you, it’s easy to start to doubt yourselves a little.
Wheaton North tournament MVP Aidan Syswerda admitted that when Marist went on a 9-0 run to take a 17-16 lead in the first set of Saturday’s Tiger Classic at Wheaton Warrenville South, that the Falcons did feel a little intense pressure.
But no need to sweat, as the Falcons rebounded to take the first set 25-23 and then pulled out a tight second set 25-22 to claim the title at the 24-team tournament.
“During that run, we were definitely a little rattled. I know I was,” the 6-foot-6 senior outside hitter said. “But we were like, we need to cut that out. They’re a great team but I’m glad that we pulled it out.”
Wheaton North, which opened the year 12-0 before dropping back-to-back contests last week at the Warren Invite, survived some tough tests this weekend prior to facing the RedHawks (11-4) in the finals.
First the champs held off Glenbrook North 25-21, 25-16 in the quarterfinals, and then outlasted Plainfield North 30-28, 25-21 to advance to the finals. Plainfield North had just handed Wheaton Warrenville South its first loss of the season after winning 25-23 in a decisive third set in the quarterfinals.
“When we got to the championship we said ‘Hey we’re making history. Wheaton North’s never been to the championship here,” Falcons coach John Noe IV said. “Then we said we’re not done making history. We were not going stop at saying we got here for the first time. Luckily, we were in a groove all day and we never really faltered. We just kept driving, grinding it out and elevating our play as we went from quarters to the semis to the finals.”
Syswerda had eight kills and an ace in the finals and was joined on the all-tourney team by middle Alex Scribner and fellow senior outside hitter Peter Dey, who had five kills in the opener against the RedHawks and finished with eight to share team honors with Syswerda.
“Marist is a huge program. When people think of Marist, It’s ‘Oh, they’re Marist,’” the Lewis University-bound Syswerda explained. “To come to the championship and get to play them and then to win is pretty awesome. A lot of guys stepped up with huge blocks and big digs. I’m super happy for everyone.”
The Falcons started fast, taking a 9-3 lead following a block by 6-foot-8 Jake Johnson. The lead grew to 16-8 after Joey Brudzdzinski set up Dey for a kill that led to a RedHawks timeout. Some nasty serving by Marist libero Nick Mayoski then helped convert an 8-point deficit into that 17-16 Marist lead.
But a Dey winner evened the score at 17-all and even though the RedHawks built a 21-19 lead, Wheaton North finished strong to take the opener and set the stage for the tight sweep.
“It was awesome. We wanted to beat them. We just wanted it so badly,” Dey said. “We knew they were going to go on runs. We just knew that we needed to sideout. We had to stop them. Then in the second game we made sure to put aggressive serves in, to put aggressive blocks in, and it worked out in our favor.”
Junior Briggs Corona paced Marist with 11 kills against the Falcons and joined teammate Michael Forbes on the all-tourney team.
The host Tigers defeated Lane Tech 25-21, 25-22 to claim the consolation title and place fifth overall. Tigers outside hitter Simon Bratt and libero Nate Paige picked up all-tourney honors. Loyola knocked off Plainfield North in two games to finish third.
A young Neuqua Valley squad, led by opposite Collin Hardin, closed out the Tiger Classic with four straight wins to improve to 7-7 on the year while claiming the Silver Bracket and placing ninth overall.
https://www.dailyherald.com/20260418/boys-volleyball/boys-volleyball-syswerda-wheaton-north-edge-defending-state-champion-marist-to-win-tiger-classic/