New Jackets' crew ready to make another tourney run

The Mount Vernon boys volleyball team has a tough job of replacing six graduates from last year’s state runner-up finish.

But the Yellow Jackets have a solid core returning and a strong group of newcomers that are ready to take on the challenge and make another run in the state tournament.

MV returns three seniors and one junior from last year’s squad. Zach Black will man the outside hitter position, while Ethan Franz and Brant Karns will hold down the middle blocker spots. Junior Cooper Swanson also returns as outside hitter/setter for a team that went 17-11 last spring.

A trio of juniors are ready to fill in those spots. Kirklin Kanuckel will man the libero position, while Drayden Staton will be a defensive specialist and Talan Stevison will be an opposite hitter.

Also hoping to help out are sophomores Kenton Strouse (setter), Aiden Hawkes (middle blocker) and Luca Nicolas (outside hitter).

“We will have high expectations based on our state final finish last year and we will have younger guys filling roles that we lost with our six seniors,” said Mount Vernon coach Chad Sivewright. “Even though they are younger and may not have as much varsity experience, they played competitive club schedules and know the standard we hold.”

Even though the Jackets don’t play in a league, they have one of the toughest schedules in the state. Those new guys will be working on chemistry with the returners while facing some of the top teams in Ohio.

“Our biggest challenge starting out will be playing together as a team and finding the right combination of guys in the right positions,” Sivewright said. “Trying to stay healthy and injury free will be a challenge, too.

“We don’t have a league that we are in but we expect to be in the regional final at least, but our goal is get back to the state championship.”

The Yellow Jackets have already faced Hilliard Darby, Thomas Worthington and St. Ignatius as part of that tough schedule. They will host Loveland and Firestone on Saturday, March 21.