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GLEN ALLEN, Va. — Heading into the 2021 season, the Deep Run boys volleyball team had a massive target on its back. Kevin Pond鈥檚 Wildcats had won four consecutive state championships and with All-Metro outside hitter Ian Wagenhauser returning to pace the offensive attack, Deep Run was set to defend its title. However 鈥� things didn鈥檛 go exactly to plan. A back injury cost Wagenhauser his season. Without him, the Wildcats were still very successful, reaching the state semifinals, but came up just short of its fifth straight trophy.

While a strong, winning season is certainly enough to look back upon and smile about; Pond can point to the season as a big step forward in leadership for a couple of his players in the team鈥檚 time of need.

鈥淚 was proud of those guys for pulling it together,鈥� Pond said. 鈥淎bout midseason we figured out what we needed to replace [Wagenhauser] and it gave us the opportunity to finish where we did.鈥�

The players who took the biggest step forward, Pond said, were Makary Czekajilo and Will Schwab.

鈥淭hey were two big pieces. As juniors, really starting for the first time on varsity, I thought they did a fantastic job of doing that.鈥�

Now in their final year of high school, Czekajilo and Schwab are both massive pieces for Deep Run 鈥� both physically and leadership wise. Both players stand close to 6-foot-5-inches in height. Czekajilo, who Pond describes as being built like a linebacker; and Schwab 鈥� a basketball player during the winter 鈥� stepped into key offensive and defensive roles a year ago and needed to grow up quickly. Athletically, both flashed the skills necessary to compete at a high level. But, knowledge of the game and overall leadership would take them to the next level. After losing Wagenhauser, Schwab quickly understood the importance of being able to connect with younger teammates to bring them up to a higher level.

鈥淟ast year definitely helped me become a better teammate and improved my patience because of the fact that I was play with players who had little experience, rather than working with skillful players that were two years older than I was,鈥� Schwab said.

The energy that Czekajilo, a right outside hitter, brought to the court night in-and night-out was infectious with his teammates. He understood the importance of keeping that up at the time 鈥� and understands the importance of continuing it this season.

鈥淚 saw that the team had been feeding off the energy I gave off,鈥� Czekajilo said. 鈥淚f I was excited, so was the rest of the team. But if I was beating down on myself, the rest of the team would lose energy with me. I took that into mind coming into the season knowing I am now one of the oldest and biggest players on our team.鈥�

While he has great leadership, Pond admits his team still has a lot of work to do this season. As of mid-September, the team had already accumulated a handful of losses to some highly skilled and highly intelligent teams. However, the amount of player-led work and study, starting with his two big seniors, gives him reason for encouragement.

鈥淲e鈥檝e lost some tough games and we鈥檙e learning from it. We鈥檙e coming to practice and [the players] already have a game plan before I have one. They have an understanding of what we have to work on, so issues don鈥檛 happen again,鈥� Pond said. 鈥淚鈥檝e had teams where you have to walk in and tell them how to put the net up. Groups like this 鈥� you walk into the gym, the nets are up and they鈥檙e already stretching. You鈥檙e not wasting time with little stuff. You鈥檙e not asking guys to get off their cell phones and get to work 鈥� they鈥檙e already getting to work.鈥�

Another big part of the group is senior setter, Gavin Tan. Last season was Tan鈥檚 first year playing volleyball. A lightly used outside hitter, Tan wasn鈥檛 satisfied with his play and decided to play travel ball during the summer to increase his skill and knowledge of the game. However, seeing a hole at setter, where Deep Run would be losing the majority of its experience, he decided to switch positions. Despite his inexperience at this position, Tan feels confident after the months of work he put in during the high school volleyball offseason.

鈥淚 spent the entire travel season and a bunch of time during the summer taking every single opportunity I could get to improve my skill to be valuable to the team during the school season,鈥� Tan said. 鈥淪o, while I may lack a whole lot of experience, I can confidently say that I can compete with the setters at other schools.鈥�

Pond agrees with Tan鈥檚 assessment of himself and said he has a major role to play in the team鈥檚 success.

鈥淸Tan] works really hard and he鈥檚 coming along. Every day he gets more confidence in how to play the position,鈥� Pond said. 鈥淗e knows how he goes is how we go. The better he gets, the better we鈥檙e going to be.鈥�

Also, key to the Wildcats’ success is Ben Frei, a junior outside hitter who Pond sees as the next Wagenhauser.聽 Another 6-foot-5-inch, long-armed giant 鈥� Frei was called up from the junior varsity at midseason last year and is charged with manning the nets for kills and blocks as a full-time starter this season.

鈥淚 like to impact the game the most at the net by getting kills or blocks,鈥� Frei said. 鈥淎 good kill or block can boost morale and get your team back in the game.鈥�

When Deep Run鈥檚 streak of championships was broken last year, the pressure that comes with being a repeat champion was lifted off the shoulders of the team. However, as the team leaders continue to push the team to new heights 鈥� the goal of winning still remains the same.

鈥淚t is still a goal of everyone on my team,鈥� Schwab said. 鈥淲hen we are practicing we keep the idea of a state title in our minds, which motivates us to work harder.鈥�

Said Czekajilo, 鈥淲e still believe we are a championship-bound team and are working very hard in order to gain the title back. I do believe it is possible with our work ethic.鈥�

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