Maine South ousts Buffalo Grove in IHSA boys’ volleyball quarterfinals

The Bison were just a bit off in the match's second game.

Published By John Juettner on 6/04/2010

From left, Alex Kob, Nick Baronti, Sam Wacker, and Chris Shanahan prepare to play defense for Buffalo Grove.
Photo By: Charlie Burroughs
Story By: John Juettner
      Things were just a little off for Buffalo Grove in its second game against Maine South in Friday’s IHSA boys’ volleyball state quarterfinals at Hoffman Estates High School.
      The Bison had just battled the Hawks to a 25-20 game one loss. But in the second game Buffalo Grove just didn’t look like the team it had been all season long, losing 25-15, and ending its run for a third consecutive state trophy.
      “At this stage of the season, you can’t really explain why it happens like that,” Buffalo Grove coach Matt Aiello said. “In the second game we weren’t able to get on a roll. They had us on our heels.”
      Aiello said Maine South (40-0) was great at throwing the ball to the corners of the court in the second game.
      “They were able to kind of keep us out of the zones we like to run in on offense so we can get our passing lanes,” Aiello said.
      Maine South’s attack of Eric and Matt Butch, and setter Mike Hejza was phenomenal, and so was the Hawk defense. It seemed like nothing Buffalo Grove hit would touch the ground.
      “We’re peaking at the right time,” Maine South coach Gary Granell said. “They (his players) are not afraid. They are not tense.”
      Granell said his players are not overworking and scrambling to make up points when they are down in a match.
      “They’re not going to sweat a two or three point lead for the other team,” Granell said of his players.
      It’s the end of the line for a very successful group of seniors at Buffalo Grove (30-6). Nick Baronti, Mike Jambrone, Tom McGovern, Alex Kob, Nick Mau, and J.R. Dobrow have helped to build one of the state’s elite programs over the past few seasons, and Aiello said it’s going to be tough seeing some of these players go.
      “I’m not young anymore as a coach, but I’m really not that old,” Aiello said. “I look at these guys like a lot as younger brothers to me.”
      It’s been an awesome run for Baronti, who was the Mid-Suburban League player of the year this season.
      “We went out every year and accomplished our goals except winning state.” Baronti said. “But winning conference and stuff like that is definitely something we enjoy, and we pride ourselves on.”
      Perhaps Jambrone summed up the Bison season best.
      “The past three months of my life, I’ve never had so much fun,” Jambrone said. “I’ll be friends with these guys forever.”