By Mark Gregory
@Hear_The_Beard
Heading into the conference matchup between two of the top teams in the Southwest Prairie Conference, both Minooka and Plainfield North had been on a roll to open the season.
The first game of the head to head meeting showed why both are eyeing an SPC title this year.
Plainfield North jumped out to an early lead in game one, but Minooka rallied for a 30-28 win in game one and used the momentum for a 25-16 win in game two. It was the first loss of the season for the Tigers, who opened by winning both their own Plainfield North Invite and the Argo Invite.
Beating a team that opened with such a hot start, showed Minooka where it is early in the season.
The Indians also have only one loss on the season, that coming to Wheaton Warrenville South in the season opener.
“The guys came out wanting it and I was happy to hear them come out communicating very well on the court,” said Minooka coach Janelle Grzetich. “That is something that we have been working on since two years ago. They have been playing together for a while and it just hasn’t clicked yet and I am beginning to see it click now, which is great to see as a coach. The last two years were building years and they can do great things.
“We decided this year that we are not going to have the huge team pow wows after a match and talk about what went and what went wrong. We will regroup (the next day) and see what we need to do to get better. They play well together and they respect each other as teammates. The communication is the big thing because it is something that was not there and now it is there. It can get better, but this is a good start.”
One of the leaders of the floor communication this season is Grant Ooms.
“I think I play a big role on this team with communicating,” Ooms said. “I think talent wise, I may be a step down from some of these guys, but I feel like my role is to talk and help them out. I can help the guys in the front row and help serve receive and that is my role. We knew Plainfield North and Central would be our biggest rivals in conference. The win just builds our confidence.
“It helps knowing that we can play with any team in conference and now that we know that, we have to stay focused on conference, but we can start to look past just winning conference and want to win regionals, win sectionals and get to state.”
One of the things that will help the Indians get far this season is the chemistry they have.
“A lot of the kids on the team are my friends and I play a lot with them. We all play at UNO, so I play year round with them and the chemistry and connection is there,” said Shane Chetney. “We are very confident in our skills and how hard we have been working. We really feel like we can take this season somewhere worth showing.”
The skills will come from all players, as Grzetich said not one player can carry the Indians to where they want to get.
“All of them have such vital roles to play. In each rotation, I am telling different guys they have to do this and do that. In any team sport, it is not just one guy,” she said. “We have strengths – Brandon (Baranski) is a phenomenal hitter, Danny Beaudin is another phenomenal hitter, I think teams may forget about Luke Hermann on the right side and he has a very powerful swing as well. I have been working with Shane last year and his setting has made leaps and bounds. His confidence as a setter is great.”