It never hurts to have the national player of the year on your team.
But for Loyola High School of Los Angeles, UCLA-bound Sean Kelly was not the sole reason for its success.
“They bought into the culture and the discipline needed to do what we did,” Cubs coach Michael Boehle said. “They bought into the concept of playing together and trusting each other. They bought into the Loyola way. It was pretty standard from the beginning. Last year, they got a taste, actually a little more than a taste. Sean and I met and he told me, ‘Let’s go out and get another. Guys bought into their roles. We had outstanding players and human beings, but we had to get everybody to buy in. That was the most important part.”
Loyola was dominant, losing only one match all season to Mater Dei (in three sets) at the Best of the West tournament. The Cubs (32-1-1) then went on a 24-match winning streak, losing only six sets along the way in winning not only a California Interscholastic Federation Southern Section Division I title for the first time since 2016, but winning their second CIF SoCal Division I regional title in a row (Loyola lost to Newport Harbor in the 2022 SoCal final).
Add to that now the honor of the Cubs being named the 2024 VolleyballMag boys high school team of the year for a second year in a row.
“Losing only six sets during that winning streak showed how bad the kids wanted it,” Boehle said. “We played a lot of good teams. We beat Mira Costa three times (the last two for the SS and SoCal titles) and played Corona del Mar (3 wins) and Newport Harbor and beat an incredible Huntington Beach team (5-set win to open SS pool play). We went on a roll and beat all the top teams.”
In the two CIF postseason tournaments, Loyola went 7-0 and lost a grand total of three sets.
“We were so strong this year for multiple reasons,” Cubs senior setter Parker Schloss said. “For one, most of the guys on the team have played together in club or previous years, which made the connection on the court a lot easier and effortless, but I also think we were so strong due to our connection and bond we had off the court. We had a very tight team and that played a big role in games and ultimately winning the natty (national championship).”
While the 6-7 Kelly certainly drew headlines, the Cubs were able to thrive due key contributions from others. For instance, Loyola’s two middle blockers, senior Hugh Vandeweghe (nephew of NBA great Kiki Vandeweghe) and junior Kai Kline (brother of recent Loyola alum Dillon Kline, who piled up 351 kills in his freshman season at USC), were transplanted basketball players in their first years on the team.
All-American efforts from Schloss and senior outside Emmett Martin (headed to UC Santa Barbara) helped, as did the clutch play of freshman libero Johnny Gosser, who stepped in when Loyola’s regular libero, sophomore Matt Kelly (Sean Kelly’s brother), was injured earlier in the season (Kelly did return at the end of the season). Junior outside hitter Simon Capps also starred, one of four Cubs to secure all-CIF Southern Section Division I honors (along with Kelly, Schloss and Martin). Schloss and Kelly shared Mission league player of the year honors.
“For what we put them through and all that we taught them, the two basketball guys were incredible,” said Boehle, inducted into the Southern California Indoor Volleyball Hall of Fame. “And then a guy like Parker, he was our quarterback. I don’t know what we would have done without him. He was absolutely invaluable with his play and leadership. Overall, you add in all the pieces and the buy-in was amazing.”
Martin agreed with Schloss’ assessment of why things came together this season in the fashion they did.
“The team was strong because we’ve known each other most our lives,” he said. “Everybody was all-in. Our team wasn’t just the six guys who played. Everyone played a pivotal role in getting the championship, bench or manager, everybody contributed.”
Loyola has now won seven CIF Southern Section titles under Boehle, the most in CIF history (13 overall in program history, also a state record), six state titles (region) and four national titles. Boehle was also honored as coach of the year by the American Volleyball Coaches Association. Loyola won the final SoCal region title — starting next year the CIF moves to one tournament to determine the state champion, moving away from the southern and northern tournament concepts.
“Everybody stepped up and played a huge role in us winning,” said Kelly, a two-time CIF Southern Section Division I player of the year (the first Loyola player to accomplish that feat since 1986).
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