The Indiana high school boys state volleyball finals will take place at Lawrence North on Saturday.
Roncalli, Carmel, Lake Central and Cathedral are still in the state championship race. Here’s what you need to know about the final four teams in the Indiana boys volleyball state tournament.
Roncalli (31-3)
The Royals are the reigning four-time state champions, including last year’s first as an Indiana High School Athletic Association sanctioned sport. Statistically the most dominant team in the state, they have won 29 state tournament matches in a row and are ranked first in the state by the Indiana High School Volleyball Coaches Association (IHSVCA).
Roncalli entered the state semifinals having won 10 matches in a row, which included postseason wins over Lutheran, Franklin Central, Perry Meridian, Evansville Memorial and Jeffersonville.
Senior middle blocker Jack Hovanec has been an efficient attacker this season. He is ranked sixth in the state in hitting percentage (0.363). Senior middle blocker Maddox Butler has shifted momentum and protected the back row with his defense. His 81 total blocks rank ninth in the state. Libero Noah Meyer has been a vacuum cleaner in the back row. He is ranked fifth in the state with 93 digs. Seniors Xavier Lawrie (348) and AJ Morris (205) pace the team in kills.
The Royals leads all state finalists in total kills (1307), digs (1357) and blocks (345). They will face Carmel in the state semifinals, which will be the second contest between the two teams this season. Roncalli swept the Greyhounds (25-17, 25-17, 25-13) on April 4.
Carmel (28-6)
The second-ranked Greyhounds will compete in their first state finals since 2021. They last made the state title game in 2017, having won three championships (2011, 2012, 2017) in all three of their title game appearances.
They have won six matches in a row, including nine of their last 10 bouts. Jack Kovac, a 6-foot-8 middle blocker, has been a huge presence for the Greyhounds. His hitting percentage of 0.369 ranks fourth in the state and he is also ranked fifth with 93 total blocks.
Shepard Spidel has accumulated 1041 assists, which paces the state. Most of those assists have been to Eli Philistin-Lynch, who is the team leader in kills (394), which is No. 5 in the state.
Lake Central (25-2)
The Indians are in their fourth year as a team and have made their second consecutive appearance at the boys state volleyball finals. After they fell in straight sets to Roncalli on May 9, they won six matches in a row entering the state semifinals.
Senior middle blocker and opposite hitter Teo Olmstead is ranked seventh in the state in hitting percentage (.363). Senior Danny Smith paces the team with 275 kills, while junior Brady Cook has tallied a team-high 496 assists.
The Indians will face Cathedral in a rematch from last season’s state semifinals. On Saturday, they will try to redeem a 3-0 loss to the Irish at state last season.
Cathedral (21-12)
The Irish have been the state runner-up the last two years with defeats to Roncalli. The Royals are making their 29th consecutive state finals event. Saturday will be the second-straight season that they will face Lake Central in the state semifinals. They lead the state in state championships (9) and won their last crown in 2016.
Quinn Braun has been the team’s main attacker with 397 kills to his name. That ranks fourth in the state. Setter Cael Persic totaled the third-most assists (940) in the state. Defensive specialist Jake Werne has tallied 392 digs, the seventh best in the state.
Cathedral are on the hunt for a state trophy after flirting with gold for the last two years.
Marc Ray is a high school sports reporter at the IndyStar. He can be reached at marc.ray@indystar.com , and on X, formerly Twitter, at @themarcszn.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Can Roncalli do it again? What to know for Indiana high school boys state volleyball
Reporting by Marc Ray, Indianapolis Star / Indianapolis Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
