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Call it a dynasty. Roncalli claims IHSAA boys volleyball state championship

INDIANAPOLIS -- Roncalli entered the state volleyball finals carrying the weight of expectations.

The Royals were the defending champions, winners of 10 straight matches and favorites to repeat. Against a familiar opponent on Indiana's biggest stage, they showed exactly why.

Roncalli swept Cathedral 25-21, 25-16, 25-13 Saturday evening at Lawrence North High School to capture the second sanctioned boys volleyball state championship in Indiana High School Athletic Association history.

The title marked another chapter in a growing rivalry between two of the state's premier programs. It was the third time Roncalli and Cathedral met in a championship match, and for the third time, the Royals walked away with the trophy.

"We knew we had the target on our back," senior middle blocker Jack Hovanec said. "So, yes, that is pressure, but it also gives us confidence and reassurance because we've been in this situation three times now with Cathedral, and all three times ended up the same way,."

Roncalli (33-3) looked every bit the favorite throughout championship day.

After defeating Carmel in straight sets during the morning semifinal, the Royals returned for the evening final and controlled the match from the outset. Cathedral (22-13) stayed within striking distance early, trailing just 15-15 in the opening set before Roncalli closed on a 10-6 run to seize control.

The Royals never looked back.

Roncalli hit .368 as a team while holding Cathedral to a .174 hitting percentage, turning a competitive opening set into a convincing sweep.

Hovanec led one of the state's most balanced attacks, posting eight kills on nine attempts for an .889 hitting percentage. Seniors Xavier Lawrie and Charlie Spearing added eight kills apiece.

Hovanec credited much of that success to senior setter AJ Morris.

"He puts the ball in my hands, makes my life really easy," Hovanec said.

Morris orchestrated the offense with 18 assists, but he said the Royals' success went beyond any individual performance.

"My confidence in my teammates," Morris said. "I know that they'll always have my back and I'll always have theirs. It's just fighting for each other."

That trust has been a cornerstone of Roncalli's success throughout its championship run.

Head coach Nick Jennings pointed to the culture established throughout the program as the foundation for another title season, crediting both the coaching staff and the players' commitment to maintaining the program's standard.

That culture, Jennings said, helps the Royals embrace the expectations that come with being one of the state's premier programs.

"They trust each other, they trust me and they just go out every day and they just take care of business."

For the Royals' senior class, that trust delivered one final championship and the opportunity to finish their careers the same way they spent much of them: at the top.

"There's no better way to go out," Hovanec said.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Roncalli boys volleyball repeat IHSAA state champions, sweep Cathedral

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