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Summer Sacrifice – Viking Magazine

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4 weeks ago

May 12, 2025

The shrill blare of an early morning phone alarm goes off, jolting sophomore lacrosse player Richie Zhang out of bed. It’s 7am, the sun is barely up, and he slowly begins to start his early morning off strong. Zhang grabs his lacrosse cleats and gear, and is out the door. Like many dedicated athletes at Paly, Zhang devotes part of his summer break to a rigorous off-season training, grinding through the heat to return to the field faster, stronger and sharper.

With no pressure of weekly competition or full academic schedules, summer is one of the only occasions when dedicated athletes can truly focus on their long-term improvement. Whether that means getting stronger in the weight room or practicing their technique for their individual sport, training during the summer offers all types of benefits.

“During the summer I either lift or go to the field to work on specific skills. I think this helps me because it gets me better and prepares me to showcase my skills to coaches,” Zhang said.

One of the largest benefits of summer training is its role in preparing student-athletes both physically and mentally for their return to sport. Instead of arriving at the first day of practice unprepared and needing time to regain form after a long offseason, athletes who have trained over the summer return well-conditioned and ready to perform. This proactive approach eliminates the need to spend valuable weeks gradually rebuilding fitness.

“Because I train throughout the summer and year, I’m usually more conditioned than others,” Zhang said. “This gives me an advantage over others when preseason starts and we have to run a lot and condition.”

One of the most intense conditioning sports that Paly has to offer is water polo, as it combines swimming endurance with strength, while having to fight off defenders. There are few sports more physically demanding, and coming back to the sport without being prepared can be extremely difficult and lead to a rocky start, according to junior and water polo player Estelle Dufour.

“Because [water polo] can be so physically demanding, many players choose to play during summer with various clubs, in fact, on certain school teams it’s even expected,” Dufour said. “I know that is a big reason why my team was able to jump into our season prepared.”

Athletes who commit to training over the summer often face the challenge of finding a healthy balance between maintaining their competitive edge and avoiding burnout. As club teams, showcases, and private training programs become increasingly common, the pressure to keep up with peers can lead some athletes to push themselves excessively. This constant comparison can create a sense of inadequacy, driving them to overtrain in an effort to stay ahead. However, without proper rest and recovery, the risk of overuse injuries and mental exhaustion increases significantly — potentially compromising their performance or sidelining them before the official season even begins.

“During last spring season, one of my teammates who was extremely dedicated to lacrosse ended up having to take a break and step away from the game because he had been practicing too much,” Zhang said. “He ended up losing his passion for the game and eventually quit because he was practicing too much.”

One of the main reasons why many Paly athletes choose not to train during the summer is due to a lack of motivation. Without strict schedules, coaches helping every step of the way or teammates pushing you during practice, training can seem lonely or isolating.

“Sometimes it’s hard to stay motivated over the summer because you’re not really focused on the picture of the actual season, but focused more on the weights and conditioning since that’s all you’re doing,” Dufour said.

Another benefit of summer training is that it allows athletes to be creative. While athletes are in season, they have to stick to a specific practice schedule with the team, limiting the room for creativity. Summer offers more diversity of learning opportunities, and this can ultimately make players more adaptable to in-game scenarios. With the additional privilege of having no school work to focus on, athletes are free to focus solely on the little details of their game that could be ignored when the season rolls around.

“When you’re training in the summer you can go out and do whatever you want, instead of having to do the drills that your coach prepares which gives you a lot more freedom,” Zhang said. “This allows me to gain skill in areas of my game which I wouldn’t have gotten during our actual season.”

Both of these athletes, along with many other student-athletes from Paly, plan to work on their craft over the summer. Whether this training is weightlifting, cardio, or specific-drill work, it’s all extremely beneficial for their season, preventing possible injuries and preparing to have a step up on others. Summer provides a unique window of opportunity, free from the pressures of school and competition, for athletes to focus on building strength, improving technique, and addressing any weaknesses. For many, it’s also a time to set personal goals, attend camps or clinics, and stay mentally sharp, ensuring they return in the fall ready to contribute at the highest level.

“I would say summer weight training is definitely beneficial, because it gets you thinking of your season ahead of time, gets your body ready and gets you in the right mindset for the season because you’ve been preparing for it for much longer,” Dufour said.

Along with training, many athletes attend camps over the summer to showcase their skills.

“ Throughout the summer I attend camps at IMG, along with camps in different states like Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Jersey, and Maryland. All these are opportunities to show my skills to recruiters,” Zhang said.

Not all athletes are required to dedicate every moment of their summer to training. Adequate rest and recovery are essential components of athletic development, as is maintaining a sense of balance and well-being outside of sports. While the summer may not receive the same visibility as the competitive season, it often serves as a critical period for high school athletes to make meaningful progress. During this time, they have the opportunity to build physical strength, develop discipline and enhance self-confidence — foundational elements that contribute to improved performance during the regular season.

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Photos: WIAA state track and field championships June 6-7 |

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June 9, 2025

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Christian Teresi, Nate Toth lead Marist boys volleyball to another state title

When Christian Teresi and Nate Toth walked into Marist as freshmen, RedHawks boys volleyball coach Jordan Vidovic knew they were special. “I saw how crazy talented they were,” he said. “I’ve known Christian since he came to a camp in second or third grade, and I’ve seen him grow. Plus, Nate, I can’t tell you […]

Published

2 minutes ago

June 9, 2025

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When Christian Teresi and Nate Toth walked into Marist as freshmen, RedHawks boys volleyball coach Jordan Vidovic knew they were special.

“I saw how crazy talented they were,” he said. “I’ve known Christian since he came to a camp in second or third grade, and I’ve seen him grow. Plus, Nate, I can’t tell you what he’s meant.

“They are two different kids, but there’s a bond they’ve created. We expected a lot out of them, like we did from all these seniors.”

Led by the T&T combo, the RedHawks and their seniors are leaving with back-to-back state championships.

Teresi had 14 kills, 15 assists and seven digs from his right side/setter position. Toth totaled 11 kills from the outside as Marist captured its second straight title with a 25-20, 25-20 victory over Glenbard West on June 7 at Hoffman Estates.

It’s the fifth overall state championship for the RedHawks (40-2).

“We won it last year, and we had a target on our backs,” Toth said. “But we wanted championship No. 2, what more motivation do you need than that? This one is better.

“We came here to finish the job. There’s no one I’d rather do it with than Christian.”

Seniors Jacob Finley (18 assists, six digs), Devlin Biggs (five kills), Matt Rahn (four kills), Griffin McElroy (three kills, two blocks), Tommy Doherty (two kills, block), and Rorey Donnelly (11 digs, three assists) were also big for the RedHawks, who graduate 10 players.

The opening set was some high-impact action as there were 13 ties and four lead changes through 14-14. Then Teresi capped off a 6-1 run with a trio of kills. The Hilltoppers crept back within 22-20, but Biggs banged a kill, and two Glenbard West errors ended it.

There were eight ties in the second set, but the Hilltoppers never led. The last tie was 16-16, and once again the RedHawks had a 6-1 burst. Glenbard West never got closer than four the rest of the way. A Biggs kill ended it.

“I love hitting, it’s more exciting than setting,” Teresi said. “I was telling Jacob to keep setting me. The guys look to me, and Jacob is the quarterback of the team until I get in the back row.

“Nate and I came in together, and we really built it in the last two years, and the connection is there. I feel like we forgot about last year, and this one was more earned.”

The RedHawks’ only two losses were to out-of-state teams. They only dropped one set to an in-state team all season. That was in a 17-25, 25-14, 25-21 win over Lake Park on June 6 in a quarterfinal match.

“We weren’t playing Marist volleyball,” Toth said of the Lake Park match. “We had to regroup.”

Teresi, who had 15 kills and 13 assists, agreed.

“I felt it was a good thing for us,” he said. “We were too comfortable in the first set.”

Marist toppled Lane, which placed third, 25-15, 25-19 in the semifinals. The RedHawks are the 11th team in state history to have 40 or more wins in a season. Their only losses were to Mira Costa, Calif., which they also beat, and Indianapolis Roncalli. Those two teams finished the season ranked No. 1 and No. 3 in the Nation on MaxPreps.

“There is no doubt in my mind because we went out and did it,” Vidovic said of his team being among the best. “We went out and played the best of the best. We went toe-to-toe with the most stacked high-school volleyball teams, probably ever.

“I’ve been around some great Illinois teams as a player, as a spectator, as a sibling, as a coach, and I’ve seen some phenomenal teams, but the way the game is played right now, the speed and the way the ball is travelling, there was nothing like that back then.”

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2025 VolleyballMag & KPs Boys Fab 50 & Rising Stars of ’26, ’27, ’28

Published

10 minutes ago

June 9, 2025

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2025 Boys’ High School season is finally over, and we are so excited to present this year’s list of top boys’ players across the United States. We have to thank all of the club directors, high school and college coaches that helped us come up with this list. We really appreciate it and we understand that this list is not exhaustive and as the game grows it is going to get increasingly difficult to create it. We think this is a great problem to have and hopefully it leads to more opportunities for all the boys out there! If you feel we are missing something or someone, please send us any feedback you have!

The Boys Fab 50 list continues to be the longest-running junior boys’ awards program in the country; we look forward to running it for many years to come as we help grow the game!

Please join us in congratulating all of these amazing young men who are some of the best in the country at this beautiful sport.

Fab 50

This year, 13 states were represented in Fab 50. California is leading the way with 26 entries, comprising nearly half the list. Illinois is second with 5 players and Florida close 3rd with 4.

Only 4 high schools have more than 1 player on the list with Mira Costa leading with 4 players and Marist (Illinois champions for 2nd straight year), El Segundo and Carlsbad with 2 spots.

25 clubs are represented with California teams leading the pack: Coast, Bay to Bay and MB Surf all have 5 entries on the list. Top non-California teams are Adversity with 3, AZ Fear, HVA, WPVC, GSL and C2 each having 2 entries.

Player	College	Club	High School	State	Position
Layton Bluth	BYU	Bay to Bay	Casteel	Arizona	Libero
Carter King	Orange Coast College	AZ FEAR	O’Connor	Arizona	Outside
Caden Ledbetter	Queens	AZ FEAR	Perry	Arizona	Middle
Noah Douphner	CSUN	Legacy	West Ranch	California	Outside
Matt Fisher	CUI	SMBC	Adolfo Camarillo	California	Setter
Oliver Doty	Harvard	Coast	Carlsbad	California	Setter
Kai Gan	Harvard	Rockstar	Huntington Beach	California	Setter
Roman Payne	Hawaii	Coast	Carlsbad	California	Middle
Thatcher Fahlbusch	Hawaii	Rockstar	Mira Costa	California	Outside
Jackson Cryst	LBSU	Pinnacle	Sage Hill	California	Middle
Brett Novak	Lindenwood	SoCal Legends	Paraclete	California	Setter
Hudson Whitehead	McKendree	Coast	Woodrow Wilson	Texas	Outside
Peter Chriss	Penn State	Bay to Bay	Menlo Atherton	California	Setter
Dylan Gallagher	Pepperdine	Balboa Bay	Mater Dei	California	Middle
Daniel Devine	Pepperdine	MVVC	St. Francis	California	Opposite
Luke Morrison	Stanford	Balboa Bay	Beckman	California	Opposite
Jack Loper	Stanford	Balboa Bay	San Clemente	California	Outside
Brogan Glenn	UCLA	Balboa Bay	Corona Del Mar	California	Libero
Grayson Bradford	UCLA	MB Surf	Mira Costa	California	Opposite
Merek Turner	UCLA	Team Rockstar	Woodrow Wilson	California	Outside
Dylan Pilkvist	UCSB	MB Surf	El Segundo	California	Middle
Ryan Pilkvist	UCSB	MB Surf	El Segundo	California	Middle
Marcelo Molina	UCSB	Bay to Bay	Moreau Catholic	California	Middle
Lathan Fry	UCSD	Coast	Granite Hills	California	Outside
Will Bartelt	UCSD	Coast	Del Norte	California	Outside
Beckett Shewey	Uncommitted	Bay to Bay	Redwood	California	Middle
Cooper Keane	USC	MB Surf	Mira Costa	California	Opposite
Kale Cochran	USC	MVVC	Whitney	California	Outside
Nicholas Waldron	USC	SoCal Legends	Garden Valley	California	Outside/Middle
Andrew Chapin	USC	MB Surf	Mira Costa	California	Setter
Rafael Urbina	UCLA	Bay to Bay	Legacy	Colorado	Setter
Tyler Windt	Ball State	Winter Park	Lake Howell	Florida	Outside
Dante Cayaban	Ball State	WPVC	St. Cloud	Florida	Outside/Middle
Tyler Johnson	BYU	Miami United	Cypress	Florida	Setter/Opposite
Jacob Little-Phillips	Stanford	WPVC	Winter Park	Florida	Setter
Benjamin Boron	Lewis	Adversity	Grayslake	Illinois	Outside/Opposite
Wyatt Jones	Lewis	Sky High	Lake Zurich	Illinois	Setter/Opposite
Nathan Toth	MIT	Adversity	Marist	Illinois	Outside
Leo Trespeces-Wink	Northern Kentucky	Pipeline	Maine South	Illinois	Outside
Christian Teresi	Ohio State	Adversity	Marist	Illinois	Setter
Nick Whitley	Northern Kentucky	Academy	Cathedral	Indiana	Setter
Alex Griffon	McKendree	HPSTL	Lafayette	Missouri	Middle
Ayden Deslauriers	Loyola	Academy Sports Long Island	Eastport South Manor	New York	Outside
Finn Rubin	Loyola	C2 Attack	Thomas Worthington	Ohio	Middle
Tristan Hassell	Penn State	Pakmen	Emily Carr	Ontario	Opposite
George Stevens	LMU	C2 Attack	Greenhill	Tennessee	Outside
Miles Jordan	LBSU	HVA	Ridge Point	Texas	Outside
Kyle Chapman	Lewis	HVA	Stephen	Texas	Outside/Opposite
Trey Thornton	BYU	GSL	Maple Mountain	Utah	Opposite
Corbin Batista	Lewis	GSL	Snow Canyon	Utah	Outside/Opposite

Rising Stars

We did not forget the underclassmen either as we assembled a list of 102 Rising Stars across ’26, ’27 and ’28 graduation years. They are coming from 22 states and these are some of the best players in the country at their positions and age groups. Look for amazing things from these players in future years.

Class of ‘2026

Player	College	Club	High School	State	Position
Logan Gray	Uncommitted	AZ Fear	Perry	Arizona	Outside
Malakai Tuakoi	CSUN	Team Rockstar	Da Vinci	California	Setter
Matt Kelly	Loyola	MB Surf	Loyola	California	Libero
Lucas Posell	Princeton	MB Surf	Santa Monica	California	Middle
Declan Flanagan	Stanford	Coast	Torrey Pines	California	Outside
Elan Taylor	UCLA	MVVC	Valley Christian	California	Outside
Giles Beamer	Uncommitted	Coast	The Bishops	California	Opposite
Cash Essert	Uncommitted	MB Surf	Redondo Union	California	Outside
Breckenridge Bray	Uncommitted	SAVBC	Camarillo	California	Outside
Carter Mirabal	Uncommitted	Team Rockstar	Redondo Union	California	Outside
Drake Foley	Uncommitted	Balboa Bay	Corona Del Mar	California	Setter
Kei Martin	Uncommitted	Front Range	Arvada West	California	Setter
Blake Fahlbusch	USC	MB Surf	Loyola	California	Outside
Luke Vigil	Uncommitted	Elevation	Chaparral	Colorado	Opposite
Reed Fisk	Uncommitted	Elevation	Valor Christian	Colorado	Outside
Trevor Whittemore	Penn State	C2 Attack	North Forsyth	Georgia	Outside
Will Niethammer	UCSB	Spike & Serve	Punahou	Hawaii	Libero
Nathan Knight	Ball State	Adversity VBC	Libertyville	Illinois	Middle
Aldis Kins	Uncommitted	MOD	Loyola Academy	Illinois	Libero
Aidan Syswerda	Uncommitted	630 Volleyball	Wheaton North	Illinois	Outside
Simon Bratt	Uncommitted	Sports Performance	Wheaton Warrenville South	Illinois	Outside
Greyson Covay	USC	Sports Performance	Oswego	Illinois	Setter
Derby Gilkerson	Uncommitted	Academy	Monrovia	Indiana	Outside
Turner Allen	Uncommitted	K2	Greenwood	Kentucky	Libero
Isiah Powell	Penn State	St. James VBC	Springbrook	Maryland	Middle
Peter Debiec	Stanford	St. James VBC	Churchill	Maryland	Middle
Cian Tenney	USC	St. James VBC	Churchill	Maryland	Outside
Luke Reiser	Uncommitted	HPSTL	Ladue	Missouri	Opposite
Cole Esparza	Uncommitted	HPSTL	De Smet Jesuit	Missouri	Outside
Arkaidiy Rivkin	Uncommitted	Sportime	Syosset	New York	Outside
Noah Meabon	USC	Pace Bootlegger	Fariport	New York	Outside
Joe Taggart	Ohio State	Cincinnati Attack	St Xavier	Ohio	Opposite
Christopher Jones	Uncommitted	Vanguard	Hilliar Darby	Ohio	Opposite
Evan Halleran	Uncommitted	HVA	Casady	Oklahoma	Outside
Luc Soerensen	Penn State	C2 Attack	Meadville	Pennsylvania	Middle
Brodie Heshler	Uncommitted	Yorktowne	Central Dauphin	Pennsylvania	Middle
Lucas Helle	Long Beach	Stars VBC	Dorman	South Carolina	Setter
Brock Harvick	Uncommitted	C2 Attack	Allen	Tennessee	Outside
Ben Bayer	Long Beach	Milwaukee Sting	Hamilton	Wisconsin	Outside
Lincoln Myers	Stanford	Milwaukee Sting	Madison Memorial	Wisconsin	Opposite
Aleksey Mikhailenko	Stanford	MVC	Homestead	Wisconsin	Outside

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SEC. V TRACK AND FIELD: 49 GLOW region athletes qualifiy for state championships | Sports

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20 minutes ago

June 9, 2025

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Conard Beats Crosstown Rival Hall in CIAC Class L Volleyball Quarterfinal – We-Ha

No. 1 seed Conard had to get by its crosstown West Hartford rival, No. 9 Hall, to reach the semifinals of the CIAC Class L volleyball tournament. Conard vs. Hall boys volleyball. CIAC Class L quarterfinal. June 6, 2025. Photo credit: Craig Rosenberg By Bridget Dawson and Kayleigh Martin. Photos by Craig Rosenberg In a […]

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21 minutes ago

June 9, 2025

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No. 1 seed Conard had to get by its crosstown West Hartford rival, No. 9 Hall, to reach the semifinals of the CIAC Class L volleyball tournament.