MatchPoint
Active member
It’s that time of year
2024 HS Season
- Thread starter MatchPoint
- Start date
TenRingsAndCounting
Member
Prediction: Moeller starts off the year slow but ends up figuring it out down the stretch and makes an improbable/dramatic playoff run to win State
Also, does anyone know how to change my username on here? Asking for a friend
Also, does anyone know how to change my username on here? Asking for a friend
MyNameIsDoug?
Well-known member
Quick with it! D1, I’m thinking Liberty has to be the favorite. Return almost everyone from this year’s run. Moe should be right there again with who they have back, but have to replace a lot of offense. Elder was young and will likely be young again, but should be a bit better. Tierney will be a stud. X returns the twins and both middles. Byrum should be a solid libero for them.
D2 I think the champion comes from Region 8. Fenwick, Roger Bacon and McNick all return the vast majority, if not all, of their starters and should be the favorites. Looks like Badin (S, OH2, MH2, L) and Taylor (S, OH1, OH2, MH?) return a lot of key pieces as well; not sure they compete for the region, but should be solid teams. SVSM and DeSales both just lose a lot so it’ll be interesting to see how they do
D2 I think the champion comes from Region 8. Fenwick, Roger Bacon and McNick all return the vast majority, if not all, of their starters and should be the favorites. Looks like Badin (S, OH2, MH2, L) and Taylor (S, OH1, OH2, MH?) return a lot of key pieces as well; not sure they compete for the region, but should be solid teams. SVSM and DeSales both just lose a lot so it’ll be interesting to see how they do
SiberianHawk
Member
Liberty vs MTV Part 3 next year in the regional final. I'd put money on it. Liberty, MTV, and Berlin are the gatekeepers of their region still.
Agreed. The second tier of that region probably looks like Pick North, New Albany and Olentangy. All those teams bring back key pieces. I don’t think any of those teams measure up to the three you mentioned.
Region 4 will also be interesting. This year there was more parity with schools like Walnut and Sycamore having really solid teams. Does someone like Lakota East fill that void next year or will it really just be the Big 3 with legitimate chances to come out of that region?
MyNameIsDoug?
Well-known member
Good point about East. They return virtually everyone, had a solid season and have lots of club players. Their setter is very, very good. Could definitely see them making noise
Butters McSauce
Member
D1 Predictions
1. Liberty
2. X
3. Moeller
4. Mt Vernon
5. Darby
6. Elder
7. Lakota East
8. Brecksville-Broadview
9. LaSalle
10. Ignatius
1. Liberty
2. X
3. Moeller
4. Mt Vernon
5. Darby
6. Elder
7. Lakota East
8. Brecksville-Broadview
9. LaSalle
10. Ignatius
fairplayvb
New member
Good list. Some observations. Ignatius may not crack top 10 in 2024 since they graduate impactful players such as Brown, O'Neill, Kanzig, and Bingle. Does Ignatius have a deep bench to replace these players? Forget about Eds as Esteves and Hutton graduate and these players were instrumental to any success they had. Forget about Hudson as they also graduate Zappone, Beh, Roukey, Brown, and Gromosiak; Hudson's time is done after a good two years. Stow is my sleeper to represent the North in 2024.
MatchPoint
Active member
Berlin only graduated a middle (arguably the worse one) so they should be top 10 as well.
MyNameIsDoug?
Well-known member
My D2 Early Top 10 (I'm a sucker for D2 given that there's a bit more parity):
1. McNick - Looks like they return every single starter from a team that reached the Final 4; believe most, if not all, kids play club so should improve a ton; Gerhardt (1st team all region, HM all state), Gundrum (1st team all region, HM all state) and Dillard (HM all region) will be their big, go-to guys and Kaser is a solid libero, but if other guys develop can be a very well-balanced team
2. Fenwick - Return everyone that earned the 1 seed in Region 8; just happened to get reverse swept by a hot Badin team, don't think they'll forget that; Snyder (1st team all region, 2nd team all state) will be the driving force out of the middle, but have options at every spot with Morris (2nd team all region), Wagner (HM all region), Weber (HM all region); Kiser at S as well (2nd team all region)
3. St. Charles - looks like they return a lot of their core from this season; 1st team all region OH, 2nd team all region OH and S, and HM all region MH and L; don't know what their stats or ball distribution was like among those hitters, but don't think you can ever discount this program, especially one returning so many solid pieces
4. Roger Bacon - Only lose their Opp, return their setters, OHs, MHs, L and solid DS; thought they underperformed a bit with some of their losses, but should only get better; OH1 was a freshman and was 2nd team all state, OH2 would be OH1 on most teams and was HM all state
5. Badin - lose their MH1, OH1 and Opp, but return their region 8 POY, 1st Team all state setter, their OH2, MH2 and L; might see Brockman put up crazy stats; freshman Jungkunz was also very solid as their OH2 and freshman Carpenter did well at libero
6. Watterson - Return 3 of their top 4 hitting options as well as their setter, libero and a key DS; will be battle-tested playing St. Charles and DeSales multiple times each
7. Taylor - need to schedule tougher and no idea if any of their kids play club or anything; looks like they competed well against ; return both OHs (2nd team all region, HM all region), setter (HM all region) and MH2; new program seems to be on a good path for a small public school
8. Hoban - lose their setter, but return their top 2 hitters who both were very solid and their libero; MH1's offensive stats were super impressive, but will that be enough and will they stay that way with a new setter
9. SVSM - lose a lot, but also return some key pieces from their runner-up team, including their all state setter and their OH2 who was 2nd team all region; they'll both have to carry the load offensively next season
10. DeSales - seems like they lose even more than SVSM, but I'd just expect a program like that to reload with some solid young pieces and remain competitive
Just missed:
Chaminade and Alter - both were very young at key positions and play in a tough conference/region
Chillicothe - also had some young players who made 1st and 2nd all region teams in what is probably the 2nd best region in D2
1. McNick - Looks like they return every single starter from a team that reached the Final 4; believe most, if not all, kids play club so should improve a ton; Gerhardt (1st team all region, HM all state), Gundrum (1st team all region, HM all state) and Dillard (HM all region) will be their big, go-to guys and Kaser is a solid libero, but if other guys develop can be a very well-balanced team
2. Fenwick - Return everyone that earned the 1 seed in Region 8; just happened to get reverse swept by a hot Badin team, don't think they'll forget that; Snyder (1st team all region, 2nd team all state) will be the driving force out of the middle, but have options at every spot with Morris (2nd team all region), Wagner (HM all region), Weber (HM all region); Kiser at S as well (2nd team all region)
3. St. Charles - looks like they return a lot of their core from this season; 1st team all region OH, 2nd team all region OH and S, and HM all region MH and L; don't know what their stats or ball distribution was like among those hitters, but don't think you can ever discount this program, especially one returning so many solid pieces
4. Roger Bacon - Only lose their Opp, return their setters, OHs, MHs, L and solid DS; thought they underperformed a bit with some of their losses, but should only get better; OH1 was a freshman and was 2nd team all state, OH2 would be OH1 on most teams and was HM all state
5. Badin - lose their MH1, OH1 and Opp, but return their region 8 POY, 1st Team all state setter, their OH2, MH2 and L; might see Brockman put up crazy stats; freshman Jungkunz was also very solid as their OH2 and freshman Carpenter did well at libero
6. Watterson - Return 3 of their top 4 hitting options as well as their setter, libero and a key DS; will be battle-tested playing St. Charles and DeSales multiple times each
7. Taylor - need to schedule tougher and no idea if any of their kids play club or anything; looks like they competed well against ; return both OHs (2nd team all region, HM all region), setter (HM all region) and MH2; new program seems to be on a good path for a small public school
8. Hoban - lose their setter, but return their top 2 hitters who both were very solid and their libero; MH1's offensive stats were super impressive, but will that be enough and will they stay that way with a new setter
9. SVSM - lose a lot, but also return some key pieces from their runner-up team, including their all state setter and their OH2 who was 2nd team all region; they'll both have to carry the load offensively next season
10. DeSales - seems like they lose even more than SVSM, but I'd just expect a program like that to reload with some solid young pieces and remain competitive
Just missed:
Chaminade and Alter - both were very young at key positions and play in a tough conference/region
Chillicothe - also had some young players who made 1st and 2nd all region teams in what is probably the 2nd best region in D2
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buffalochicken
New member
Wild that 4 of top 5 from Region 8. Will be a blood bath.
MyNameIsDoug?
Well-known member
Honestly should probably put Watterson above Badin. They return way more. Don't think I gave them enough credit initially.
MatchPoint
Active member
Lee Meyer just retired at head coach for Moeller. 3 state championships in 3 seasons.
MyNameIsDoug?
Well-known member
Interesting! Wonder who will be 1st in line to take over? Beckelheimer is on staff, but he's gotta be, like, 20 years old.
Will be interesting to see which way they go with this hire. I could see it going to someone like Doug Cherry, who was on staff before Lee got there. Illustrious alumni pool to pull from, no doubt.
CincyVballGuru
New member
It will be interesting. A lot of alumni, but many of the ones who have already coached there(specifically Doug since you mentioned) have started families and gotten out of coaching because of that. That’s why Doug didn’t stay on staff with Lee
MatchPoint
Active member
Maybe Alex Vohland? Seemed like the #2 for the past couple years.
MyNameIsDoug?
Well-known member
Not an alumni (not that that matters, but every coach they’ve had so far has been an alumni so it might matter to the higher ups at Moe) and seems to have moved on as well? Not positive on that though, but I think he’s going to be playing for the Kentucky Unicorns in the VLA
CincyVballGuru
New member
Moeller has always hired alumni. Some may be aware of a little tension where they almost hired someone from outside the school after McLaughlin left. Some MVB alumni spoke up and forced the offer to be pulled which led to Lee ultimately getting the job. I wonder if Vohland would even want it. Seemed to join because he coached at attack and was friends with Lee
boothmark77
Well-known member
Thankful Lee came to Moe when he did and the job he’s done over the past 4 years (3 seasons). He will be missed. I am certain the school will fill the spot with another solid hire.
Word on the street is he is done at Moeller as well. Sounds like there are a few of the coaches that will not be returning now that Lee has decided to hang them up. That, of course, is just hearsay, so we will see.
Butters McSauce
Member
Not many other former Moeller players in the coaching scene these days. Although there is one that just stepped down from a GGCL school a short bit ago that had a VERY successful run on the girls' side...
Whoever ends up getting the job will have some big shoes to fill, but a pipeline of very talented players to work with
Whoever ends up getting the job will have some big shoes to fill, but a pipeline of very talented players to work with
MyNameIsDoug?
Well-known member
Hasn't Marshall Luning been coaching for a while? He could be a candidate. Not sure who you're talking about, though.
Butters McSauce
Member
Chris Lovett, former coach of MND. Last coached during the state championship winning season in 2020
MatchPoint
Active member
After someone else said it, I checked his social media and he did imply retirement from the Moeller program.
MyNameIsDoug?
Well-known member
Sounds like LaSalle will again be looking for a new head coach. Whoever the next person is will be the 4th coach in the past 5 years. A shame because there’s always some good talent there; would like to see kids have some consistency.
MyNameIsDoug?
Well-known member
It’s just odd to me that they can’t find an alumni, or anyone really, to stick around. I get that the odds of winning the GCL are slim and it’s much tougher to be successful now that they’re D1 again, but there’s always been enough to talent to at least be competitive
Just a theoretical question for you:
What's better, having a consistent coach for 4 years who maybe isn't the best, or having a string of good coaches in and out?
LaSalle does have some accomplished alumni, so yes it is sad. I can't really think of any of the alumni (outside of Andrew Kroger) who already have coaching experience, though (not that it's required). I'm probably forgetting someone, though. Hope someone can step up and help.