LYNN — Two years after its inaugural season, the Lynn Classical boys volleyball team returned to the courts on Monday for tryouts. The Rams are looking to repeat last year’s success, when they went 14-6 in the regular season and qualified for the postseason.
“We had the first day of tryouts on Monday and we had a good turnout. I think we’re going to go back to where we were last year,” Head coach Chris LeBlanc said. “We lost one senior to graduation and our underclassmen look like they’re coming in and they’re improved from the year before. The kids had a lot of energy today and they were excited to be in the gym so that made it easier for us coaches.”
Although a new year, the goals remain the same for the Rams who look to repeat as Lynn City champions.
“I think our priorities stay the same. We want to win the City tournament at the beginning of the year and then set our sights on the GBL (Greater Boston League). We still haven’t won the GBL, and I think that’s the evolution of the program to try and accomplish that goal,” LeBlanc said. “I think with the group that we have, I don’t think we should go backwards record-wise, assuming health and everything else.”
The Rams lost just one player from the Sweet 16 team last year and LeBlanc is looking for his key players to play another big role this spring. Classical returns two of their captains, Viet Tran and Kenzel Lantano.
“The returners who were crucial last year and who I expect to be crucial again this year are our libero, Long Pham, who was massive all year. He allowed us to do things on defense that I haven’t ever been able to do with any team I’ve ever coached before,” LeBlanc said. “Our number one outside hitter Viet Tran is back and is looking to improve on a tremendous season he had last year. Our setter, Kenzel Lantano, is back and he’s going to be critical.”
In addition to Tran, Pham, and Lantano, LeBlanc is expecting big things from Leo Cruz.
“Leo Cruz I think is ready to take a big step forward. I believe he’s ready to fill in and be a big player for us this season,” LeBlanc said.
Despite making it to the Sweet 16, before exiting to eventual runners-up Wayland, LeBlanc believes his defense is good enough to go further but is looking for the offense to take another step forward.
“I think to make it further we need to be more consistent offensively. I think there were a lot of times last year where we took the easy offensive option instead of working that little bit extra to get a good offensive set,” LeBlanc said. “There were times we’d run a normal outside four ball where we should have maybe run the ball to the right side because that would have been a little bit harder to do, but it was a better offensive option. I think with the year of growth and experience, I think everyone will be better at recognizing where the ball should go.”
To get further in the tournament, LeBlanc scheduled tough opposition to get his team ready for the competition they’ll see down the road.
“One of the non-conference schedules we set up was having O’Bryant coming in. They’re a perennial Division 2 powerhouse. They’re a team we can definitely see in the tournament so it will be a really good test to see how we stack up against them,” LeBlanc said. “We have Burlington coming in who are always very good, a couple of games against Woburn and we have a scrimmage next Monday against St. John’s Prep where we’ll definitely learn something about us in that game.”
