Licking Heights boys volleyball set to provide encore to great season

On Mar 18, 2023

PATASKALA — The Licking Heights boys volleyball team was not whole Friday, but the when the Hornets are, look out.

Heights ran up a 23-2 record last season highlighted by a thrilling postseason victory against Bishop Watterson. The Hornets return most of that firepower, including senior All-Ohioan Blake Kibler, who recently committed to Thomas More on the heels of high-level competitions in Chicago, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and St. Louis with his Advancement Academy club teammates.

“It sucks having our guys out today, but we definitely have a great season ahead of us,” Kibler said. “After last year, we are still the underdogs. It’s fun going into those games and beating them. Today, we will have a short memory and move on.”

Playing without seniors Dominik Limberopoulos and Ousmane Barry, Heights (1-1) fell Friday to visiting St. Charles, 25-21, 17-25, 17-25, 25-27. The Hornets nearly forced a fifth set, where they finished off a season-opening victory against Watterson on Tuesday.

Licking Heights' Blake Kibler spikes the ball during a Hornets' 3-1 loss to St. Charles Friday, March 17, in Pataskala.

St. Charles (1-4) during the middle two sets were able to take advantage of Heights missing its top two defenders at the net. Despite a size disadvantage, the Hornets battled up front with junior Caleb Reichert helping Kibler and senior Logan Christ, who moved from setter to a hitting position due to the change in rotation.

“I was extremely proud of the way my boys stepped up without their key players,” Heights coach Tina Cox said. “We had to mix up the lineup a lot. We were without my two solid middles, who can hit and block and serve. That was a tough one that we knew we had to deal with, but the boys did a very good job of holding their own and fighting to the very last moment.”

When in tact, Heights can funnel opposition hits to standout sophomore libero Cleveland Brown. That allows the offense to click through Christ.

Friday provided opportunities to unproven players. Sophomore Jaden Peach drew high praise as he moved into the setter spot.

“Jaden Peach ran a 5-1 there at the end,” Kibler said. “He stepped up and did a really good job. I am excited to see what he does in the future.”

Kibler led Heights with 10 kills, and Christ added five. Christ also had five aces with Peach and Reichert adding a pair apiece.

Heights, which has sent several players to college programs, continues to climb to new heights in its second decade. The Hornets are still adding pieces, finding talent walking the school hallways without a spring sport.

“Because we have a couple brand-new kids, we had to pull back and restart. We have to start from the very beginning every season,” Cox said. “We had two weeks to practice, and here we are. We are taking that challenge head on.”