The Varsity Men’s Volleyball team is back and better than ever. Returning as state championship finalists, the Pumas are starting the season off with stronger players and a deeper determination to come out on top.

Principal Dan Serrano believes Perry Volleyball is the sport to watch. “I think from what I’ve heard, boys’ volleyball has a chance to do pretty phenomenal. Based on preseason, I would say boys volleyball has the potential to do really well.”

Coach Brian Pomerantz said his expectations for this season “are really high. We’ve got a lot of returners, some talented freshmen, and we’re extremely deep this year so we should go really far into the playoffs.”

Although the team has taken a hit due to the loss of some of their valuable players, such as outside hitter Ethan Fillmore, setter Jeffrey Tomlinson, and middle blocker Garrett Wagner,  there are many returners and three new freshmen: setter/opposite hitter Carson Bashford, outside hitter Zachary Morrill, and setter/right side setter Daxton Tolman.

Pomerantz said he plans on compensating for these few losses with “volleyball IQ and with competitive spirit. A lot of our kids have been playing for 5, 6 years now, so they all know the game really well and they all really want to win.”

According to Pomerantz, ‘volleyball IQ’ is the team’s “knowledge of the game: their tactics, ability to control their emotions in times when it really gets heated.” He does this by putting the boys through drills that simulate stressful and uncomfortable situations, “so they have to learn to manage not only the x’s and o’s, but to manage their emotions as well.”

Focusing on and enhancing the boys’ volleyball IQ is one of the key components that contribute to the team’s success. Junior Colin Hoag thinks the coaches’ knowledge of volleyball IQ will be a great contribution to a successful year. Junior Jason Tomlinson agrees, saying that having a good volleyball IQ “better unifies the team”.

Hoag believes the 2017 team “is by far the deepest it has ever been at Perry.” He is confident that “any player on the team can hold his own on the court.”

According to Junior Bryson Breinholt, “the season has been going well. We have beat some difficult and well rounded teams and worked well together as a team.” In his eyes, the team needs to focus on consistency. “At times I think we are the best team in the state but the key is finding a way to play like that all time.”

As of press time, the Pumas stand four and one: 3-0 win at Desert Vista, 3-0 win at Queen Creek, 2-0 and a win against Deer Valley, 2-0 win against Cienega, and a 2-1 loss against Horizon Honors in the Wolf Howl Invitational.