By Randy Whalen

While both the Joliet Central and Joliet West boys volleyball teams saw their seasons end in opening-round postseason losses, there was still success for both.

Especially on Thursday, May 15, at Joliet Central. That's when the two teams combined their Southwest Prairie Conference match into a very special event. 

That was Volley 4 Vets. It was put together by both programs. There were 50/50 drawings and donated raffle baskets. All proceeds went to benefit local veterans and their families.

"Volley 4 Vets was a night to remember," Joliet Central coach Nicholas Ratajczak said. "It was nothing short of magical. With all six branches of the military honored, a packed gym, and an electric atmosphere, the Joliet community came together to support veterans and their families through the Disabled Patriot Fund."

The memory of Joliet Central graduate, Sgt. Jose Duenez Jr., 25, who was one of four killed in a military training exercise on March 25, was honored. 

There were so many highlights," Ratajczak said. "I invited Jose Duenez Jr.'s mom, dad, and family to the game, and I had them sit courtside with our team. We had a moment of silence for Jose Duenez Jr., a Steelmen, and three fellow soldiers who lost their lives in Lithuania."

But that wasn't all, as the schools went all out to make this as special as possible. 

"We had Myles Hayes (his uncle is Gordie Gillespie), the renowned vocalist for the Chicago Bulls and White Sox, deliver a stirring rendition of the national anthem that gave us all chills," Ratajczak said. "Another special moment is when both teams held each other shoulder to shoulder and were together during the National Anthem, instead of being separate.

"It was touching to see. We received a performance from the ROTC Riffle Team and the color guard. We had a good number of veterans and active military in the stands."

Joliet West coach Tara Litwicki echoed those thoughts and was extremely happy to be part of everything.

"Volley 4 Vets is back," she exclaimed. "Walking into Central's gym, the atmosphere was already electric, and the game itself definitely showed just that. It's truly special to involve our veterans, especially when we get to compete against a brother school. 

"A huge thank you goes out to Nicholas Ratajczak for his outstanding work in organizing this fantastic event and securing the boys' custom jerseys for this special occasion. Volley 4 Vets is more than just a game. It's a powerful way to honor those who have served! I look forward to hosting at Joliet West next year!"

The on-court action was great too, as Joliet West prevailed 25-21, 25-19 in the varsity match. 

"The Steelmen freshmen and JV teams kicked off the night with decisive wins over Joliet West, and while our varsity fought valiantly in a thrilling match, they narrowly fell short," Ratajczak said. "Most importantly, the event raised over $1,800 for local veterans—a testament to Joliet’s generosity. Tara and I couldn’t be prouder of how our schools and the Joliet community united for this cause."

Stat-wise, right side hitter Drew Johnson led Joliet West with 10 kills. Fellow seniors Michael Meloy (5 kills), Dejon Jennings (4 kills, 7 digs) at outside hitter, and middle hitter Davide Giambagli (4 kills, 3 aces) added to the offense. Senior setter Nolan Fellows (17 assists, 9 digs) was also big for the Tigers, who also graduate senior Mason Simpson.

"Our team, known for its incredible energy, truly fed off the crowd," Litwicki said. "I have to give a massive shout-out to Drew Johnson, who showed up and absolutely dominated on the court - a true force! I'm so proud of these guys for fighting for every single point and staying consistent throughout the thrilling game, ultimately securing a well-deserved win."

Johnson was named to the Illinois Volleyball Coaches Association All-State Third Team, while Fellows was an All-State Honorable Mention selection. 

"Playing in the Volley 4 Vets event was a truly meaningful experience," Fellows said. "Knowing that we were competing not just for a win, but to support our veterans, gave the match a much deeper purpose. It’s important to us as a team to give back to those who have given so much for our country, and being part of something that honors their service made us play with even more heart."

The Tigers (23-12, 9-2 in the SPC) put themselves in position to win the conference for the second straight season with a big 28-26, 25-19 home win on Tuesday, May 20, over a very good Bolingbrook (29-8, 9-2) squad. Two days later, they put up a battle but lost 25-22, 25-18 to host Oswego (24-10, 11-0) in the league title match.

Still, Fellows felt that the Tigers were playing well toward the end of the season. 

"I think we’ve really found our rhythm as a team down the stretch," he said. "Communication has improved, our energy is high, and everyone’s been stepping up when it counts. We’ve faced some tough moments, but we’ve grown stronger because of them. It’s been awesome to see how far we’ve come and how we continue to support each other both on and off the court."

The support was there on Saturday, May 24. But unfortunately, a victory wasn't when Joliet West opened the postseason. The Tigers, who were seeded No. 9 in the 31-team Hinsdale South Sectional, lost 25-16, 26-24 to No. 24-seeded Yorkville (12-22) in the opening round of the Minooka Regional. 

On the Joliet Central side in the match against the Tigers, junior middle hitter Logan Wright (5 kills) led the attack while senior outside hitter Marco Jasso and senior middle hitter Luis Ernesto Rivas Sequeira each added four kills. 

Luis Zurita Rondon, a freshman libero, led the Steelmen with eight digs and added the team's lone ace. Junior setter Logan Novak dished out 14 assists and added five digs. Also graduating from this season's team are Anthony Jauregui, Conrado Mendez, Jonathan Rios, Brayan Riveros, Edwin Robles, and Brody Walsh.

The loss to Joliet West was one of only three in a 12-match stretch for the Steelmen. 

"On the court, the Steelmen varsity squad was on fire," Ratajczak said. "We had a strong finish to the regular season, including a straight-set victory over Plainfield North (25-20, 27-25) on Tuesday, May 20. We won 9 of the last 12 matches (before a 30-28, 25-9 SPC loss at Plainfield Central to end the regular season). This surge included three conference wins, one more than last year’s total, proving this team’s grit and growth.

"This group has every reason to hold their heads high. They had resilience, teamwork, and determination."

Joliet Central (13-20, 3-8) finished a win short of matching last year's 14 victories. But the Steelmen still had that amount of wins, and a trio of league victories, after having eight total wins and none in the SPC between 2021-23. 

The Steelmen were seeded No. 23 in the Hinsdale South Sectional. They saw their season come to an end on Monday, May 26, in a 25-18, 25-13 loss to Plainfield South in a Downers Grove North Regional quarterfinal. 

The No. 10 seeded Cougars (25-14) showed what's possible as they won their next three matches, including upsetting No.7 seeded Lincoln-Way West, No. 2 seeded host Downers Grove North (in the regional title match), and No. 3 seeded Benet Academy before falling to top-seeded Glenbard West on Tuesday, June 3 in the sectional title match.

Both Joliet Central and Joliet West will look for better postseasons next spring. They will also look forward to another Volley 4 Vets event on Tuesday, May 12, at Joliet West.