BOYS VOLLEYBALL Stolz earns honorable mention all-state, Trojans MVP Award

The Wauwatosa West boys volleyball team had plenty of highlights to smile about when looking back at the season.

The Trojans finished in fourth place in the Woodland Conference with a 3-3 record and third place in the conference tournament. They placed fifth in the Racine Invitational, the largest tournament in the state. They were regional champions and finished with a 15-12-1 overall mark.

Season highlights include the following:

A regular-season win over Tosa East at East, the first time in coach Kyle Sikora's 12 years that the Trojans and Red Raiders met in a regular-season match.

In addition, Tosa West also played non-conference matches against Brookfield East, Germantown, Homestead and Waukesha West for the first time in the regular season, finishing 4-1 in non-conference play.

In conference play the Trojans beat the teams they were supposed to, and lost the close ones against conference rivals, Sikora said.

They lost to Shorewood and New Berlin, but they avenged that latter loss by beating them at the conference tournament.

They won pretty easily against both South Milwaukee and the Greenfield/Whitnall co-op and beat an improved Greendale squad.

In the postseason the Trojans were a fourth seed, one lower than Sikora wanted. They beat Tosa East and Brookfield East, the first and third seeds. After sweeping West Allis Central, Tosa West dropped a a five-game thriller to the Red Raiders because they couldn't stop Ben Plaisted.

The Trojans had four all-conference selections, led by first-teamers Matt Stolz and junior Andy Rowley. Stephen Stockinger was second-team and junior Oliver Niles was honorable mention.

Tosa West had three team awards. Stolz was named the Most Valuable Player and Niles was the Most Improved Player.

Stockinger earned the Great Wall of West trophy for most blocks this season.

Sikora will lose three seniors to graduation: Stolz, Brian Carlson and Stockinger.

Stolz, an honorable mention All-State selection (outside hitter), was a team captain and a four-year varsity member. Carlson and Stockinger, both were middle hitters and two-year varsity members.

"This year's senior class was great to work with," Sikora said. "They did a great job of leading their team throughout the season. When games and matches were on the line, all three stepped up to make big plays."