Volleyball squad takes 2nd in early tournament
Brophy’s volleyball team was ranked No. 5 in The Arizona Republic high school volleyball rankings and head coach Mr. Tony Oldani and company will try to remain as one of the top teams in Arizona.
Heiland a role model on and off the court
By Jackson Santy ’13
THE ROUNDUP
Standing 6 feet-1 inch, John Heiland ’11 is the starting outside hitter for the Brophy varsity volleyball team.
“I love volleyball, it’s a sport you can play your whole life,” Heiland said. “There aren’t football leagues for middle aged men.”
Throughout his career at Brophy, Heiland has been a jack of all trades, participating in such clubs as the National Honors Society, Big Brothers and Student Council.
By Josh Galvin ’13
THE ROUNDUP
Rejuvenated by a large influx of fresh talent, Brophy’s JV and varsity volleyball teams look to gain new valuable members and strengthen existing bonds in light of last year’s shortcomings.
After suffering a string of disheartening losses last season, the athletes seemed to grow apart and lose their motivation according to varsity head coach Mr. Tony Oldani. This disbanded feeling culminated at the end of a shortened season.
“Last year we didn’t even make the state playoffs – a very disappointing season,” said Nick Benson ’12, the returning varsity setter.
However, with the new year comes new potential.
Brophy sports enjoyed another year of high performance this past school year, coming away with a couple of state championships and even more great success stories.
Brophy’s Volleyball season is under way with a slow start as the varsity squad has lost their first two matches to Highland and Salpointe Catholic as of The Roundup’s print deadline March 19.
They had “a poorer finish than we wanted in the Wolf Howl Invitational in the beginning of March,” sophomore starter Nick Benson ’12 wrote in an e-mail.
To the left of the volleyball net on the front line you will find a 6’8 Brophy junior who has made a name for himself as an outside hitter whose role is just that, hitting and blocking the ball.
That junior is Matthew Pohlman ’11.
As a freshman and sophomore, Pohlman played basketball and “thought about (volleyball) as a different sport.”