The boys’ volleyball hosted their Dig Park game for Parkinson’s Disease awareness as they lost to the Churchill Bulldogs last Tuesday night, followed by a loss in four sets to Whitman two days later, to fall to 2-6.
The Cats then bounced back yesterday on senior night to beat Paint Branch in four sets, making their record 3-6.
After finally gaining momentum and winning two in a row against QO and B-CC, the Cats dropped three in a row. Struggles with team cohesiveness and consistency have led the Cats to find themselves well below their preseason expectations. Many players have missed games, hurting a team that relies on star power.
“Our first game was really good. Against one of the best teams, we went to five sets, and then we kind of went on a downhill spiral from there,” senior captain Peter Yankov said.
Trying to stay focused and make the most of the season as they near the end, the team is taking it day-by-day.
The Dig Park game, a spin-off from the girls’ annual Dig Pink game, was created this year to spread awareness for a cause very near to the team; coach Sara Williams’ father suffers from Parkinson’s. The team wore blue accessories against the Bulldogs and played for a bigger cause beyond the court.
Boy’s volleyball is on track to have its first losing season in over 12 years. Historically, one of the strongest teams in the county, other teams have caught up to make the 2026 season an abnormal one. What were considered lighter games on the schedule have proven to be a test for the Cats.
“Some of the season’s been really interesting compared to the last two years,” senior captain Fred Chen said. “It’s just more of a season where it’s like, we’re just trying to have fun with each other.”
With only four seniors, many younger players have had the opportunity to mature and grow. The seniors are trying to leave a message to the younger players of perseverance and leadership.
“Try to stay persistent,” Chen said. “I want to try to give a more impactful message to the underclassmen. I want to try to give them a way to base themselves on for next year and be as competitive as we are. We’ve always been that type of team where we’re just trying to fight as hard as we can.”
A bright side for the Cats has been the recent commitment of Chen to continue his volleyball career at John Jay College of Criminal Justice. Chen continues the recent trend of many Wildcats going on to play volleyball at the next level.
Two games remain on the schedule for the Cats. If they win out, they will finish the regular season at 5-6. They travel to Blake today to face the Bengals.
“We just have to keep pushing and keep playing as best as we can; not let anything mess with our heads, and you know, just keep winning,” Yankov said.
