For each of the past two seasons, the McLean Highlanders have been dominating and undefeated in winning boys volleyball championships.
And they have done so at two different levels of competition.
This fall, McLean won Liberty District and 6D North Region tournament titles in compiling a 21-0 record as volleyball was a first-year full varsity sport in Fairfax County Public Schools. The Highlanders lost only one set during those 21 matches, including a win over the Oakton Cougars in the region final.
Oakton was 3-1 in the region tourney and McLean 4-0.
Last fall, playing in a club league, the had Highlanders won the Northern Virginia crown with a 17-0 mark.
“It’s been an awesome ride so far with this team,” said John Tamashiro, who coached McLean this season and last. “We’ve already accomplished so much and have three [championship] banners.”
McLean only returned four players from last season, as others graduated or were no longer eligible once full varsity status was established. Tamashiro said the few returners still gave McLean experience, coupled with an athletic team.
“Our players also have a high IQ for the game,” Tamashiro said. “But we never had that feeling it was ours to roll over other teams. We had to bring it for every match and we had to strategize.”
Among the top players for McLean were first-team all-region selections Evan Li, Brennan Lengel and Luke Cowan. Chosen second-team all-region was Zachary Chung. Those four also were chosen first-team all-district, with Chung the Libero of the Year and Li the Player of the Year.
Selected second-team all-district were Zolo Ganzorig, Elvis Lahiff and Sawyer Dolina. Jose Eslinger was an honorable-mention player.
Other players for McLean were Finnian Hare, William McGinnis, Ivan Nguyen and Huey McFalls.
Cowan and Lengel were among the leaders in kills, with Li tops in assists and Chung in digs.
By winning the region title, McLean qualified for the Virginia High School League Class 6 state tournament, finishing 1-1, with two home matches.
The Highlanders defeated the Grassfield Grizzlies of Chesapeake, 3-2, in the first round, then lost to the Kellam Knights of Virginia Beach, 3-0, in the semifinals. Kellam won by set scores of 25-18, 25-19, 25-19.
McLean won the first two sets against Grassfield, 25-23, 34-32, then lost the next two, 25-22, 25-16. McLean responded to win the deciding set, 15-12.
“Those teams are the real deal,” Tamashiro said.
Oakton finished with an 18-5 record, won the Concorde District tournament and also qualified for the state tourney, losing to the Granby Comets of Norfolk, 3-1, in a first-round match.
