There will be a significant change to the RDP Kings volleyball team’s starting roster this season.
Gone is All-Conference right side Noah Carlson.
“It came about fairly late,” said Kings head coach Aaron Schulha. “My understanding was both Noah and Carter (Hills) would be back but they decided they both had lost a little love of volleyball and were stepping away.
“Noah was a huge part of what we did. He carried a huge volume in the past couple of years. Maybe too much last year.”
Carlson led the Kings with 194 kills and 52 blocks during the regular season then picked it up in the playoffs with a dominant performance finishing with 80 kills in three matches and nine blocks.
With Carlson gone, the right side is open for former rookie of the year Brett Lower.
“Brett has a great opportunity to step back in,” said Schulha. “It was tough for him playing behind Noah, but he has the capabilities to be one of the top right sides. He’s shown it in the past.”
The Kings also lost All-Conference middle Spencer Purdie.
“Spencer was never a big school guy he’d rather work so I can see that,” said Schulha, who feels he has more than a few options to step in the middle.
Six-foot-eight Aussie Dillon Gauci is in his fourth season and looks to be healthy after suffering a knee injury two years ago and working on getting back to 100 per cent last season.
“Dillon seems healthy and Owen (Langberg) I believe is ready to take that next step. He showed flashes of that last year before dealing with an injury. He’s six-foot-six, long and jumps well. He has all the tools to be a dominant middle.”
Add six-foot-six third year Ryan Teasdale and six-foot-four fourth year Evan Ockerman and the Kings have a solid group.
“We lost a bit of height in Spencer, but the league is shifting toward a bit smaller and quicker middles. This group gives us a bit more speed on both offence and defence and the guys are still big enough.”
One other change, All-Conference setter Tom Wass has returned home to Australia.
However, Brett Thiese is back for a fifth season plus the Kings added the premier setting prospect in the province last season in Drew Dykstra of Bentley and the Central Alberta Christian High School.
“Ty (Thiese) has looked good and Drew is a very very good six-foot-five, left hander. The guys are five or six years separate in experience but the dynamic has been excellent, a very healthy competition.”
Schulha indicated they’ll play two games each during the RDP Invitational tournament this weekend.
The Kings face Providence University College at 10 a.m. and Olds at 4 p.m. Saturday and Keyano at noon and NAIT at 6 p.m. Sunday.
The Kings should have one of the premier power hitters in the conference in fourth-year Colby Nemeth.
“Colby shows flashes that he’s ready to take the next step to be one of the most consistent outsides in our league,” said Schulha. “Zach (Neufeld) had stepped up last year and was playing regularly at the end of the season and we also have Nick (Possingham) and Dante (Furlan) as fourth year players.
“I feel good about that group,” added Schulha, who has one more change.
Gone is long-time libero JJ Graham, but Schulha added both experience and youth this season.
Bradley Neskey of Grande Prairie, who played four years at the University of Calgary, transferred in to go with rookie Ty Flemming of Notre Dame.
“Brad has bit of a connection with RDP as his dad grew up with (former Kings head coach) Keith Hansen in Grimshaw. He was L2 (backup) in Calgary plus he injured his thumb last season. He applied to get the year of eligibility back, which he did, so he’s here for two years,” said Schulha. “He’s actually graduated with a degree but wants to work on a business diploma.
“JJ is hard to replace but Brad is good. It’s also a new voice and he has a willingness to be a quarterback on the floor. Good leadership and the nice thing is the guys are responding well to it.
“He’s very quick as is Ty, who is an above average defender. Few balls hit the ground when he’s near them, plus he’s a good server.”
“We may go with two liberos or use Ty as a server and defensive specialist. It’s a good option to have.”
The remaining rookie on the roster is six-foot-five outside hitter Liam Hartt of Olds.
“When we first talked with Liam it looked like we had 16 players and he may be the 16th man or even red shirt. But now, with the changes, he’s in our top 14 and getting regular reps, which is perfect for him,” explained Schulha. “He can play either side.
“Liam, Zach and Nick have all played opposite so they can move around if need be and back up Lower.”
The Kings finished third at the ACAC finals last season, which was a major disappointment. They led NAIT 2-0 in the semifinals before losing . NAIT went on to win the nationals.
The previous year the Kings lost to Keyano in the final in a tight match while the year before they won the ACAC but lost a tight match in the semifinals at the Nationals where they won bronze.
“A couple of points in each of those losses would have made a world of difference,” said Schulha, who is bringing in Hansen to talk to the team “at least once a month”.
“He’ll work on the team’s psyche, work on building during the season to find those two points.”
Kings have one of the top group of assistant coaches in Blake Henwood, Adam Sillery and Adam Roth.
On the women’s side of the tournament, the Queens face Ambose at noon and Durham College of Ontario at 8 p.m. Saturday and Columbia Bible College of B.C. at noon, Keyano at 2 p.m. and Sait at 6 p.m. Sunday.
Danny Rode is a retired Advocate reporter and member of the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame who can be reached at danrode@shaw.ca
