Who could shine in boys high school volleyball? 10 athletes to watch this spring

Jacob Rousseau, Providence Journal

Wed, Mar 27, 2024, 5:33 AM·4 min read

Last spring we had a pair of breakthrough champions in boys volleyball.

Division I La Salle and Division II Lincoln both snared their first titles. Johnston also snagged back-to-back crowns in D-III.

Who will compete for bragging rights this season?

Barrington went 15-2 in D-II last year, falling in the semifinals to the Lions, 25-22, 23-25, 20-25, 25-16, 17-15. The Eagles return a strong cast and are expected to contend again.

North Kingstown was D-I’s top seed before getting upset by Chariho in the semifinals (27-25, 25-23, 21-25, 18-25, 15-10). The Skippers have a pair of juniors who made major contributions and will eye a championship berth.

The hitters tend to make the headlines and the splashy plays, but for this exercise we mixed in different positions. Chariho’s Matt Tiernan was The Journal’s volleyball Player of the Year last spring, but he has graduated, so that award is up for grabs. Here are 10 players who we expect to vie for that honor this year.

(Athletes listed in alphabetical order)

10 boys volleyball players to watch for 2024

Ephraim Abhulime, La Salle

Senior, middle blocker

One of the state’s best at the net, Abhulime blends height (listed at 6-foot-5 last season) and leaping ability at middle blocker. His prowess in the middle can control matches, as it did against Chariho in the championship match, and set La Salle on a path to title contention. Abhulime’s skills landed him on The Journal’s first-team All-State Team last year.

Ephraim Abhulime is expected to lead La Salle boys volleyball to title contention this season.

Maddox Godwin, Barrington

Senior, outside hitter

Godwin is one of the aforementioned returners for the Eagles. He gained recognition from the state’s coaches with Player of the Year honors in D-II last year. The hitter delivers devastating kills for Barrington.

Led by Maddox Godwin, Barrington went to the semifinals last year.

Ryan Harrington, North Kingstown

Junior, outside hitter

Harrington enters his junior campaign having already notched a second-team nod from The Journal and returns as one of the best hitters in the state. The Skippers were fighting for their third straight championship before losing to Chariho.

North Kingstown's Ryan Harrington is one of the best hitters in the state and he's only a junior.

Jack Kenyon, Westerly

Senior, outside hitter

Kenyon was hurt for the Bulldogs' D-II playoff appearance last season. But he has returned to power the South County program.

Westerly will be counting on the outside hitting of a healthy Jack Kenyon this season.

Cody Tow, North Kingstown

Junior, outside hitter

The Skippers’ second star on our preseason watchlist also made The Journal’s All-State team as a sophomore. North Kingstown, which was the top seed in the D-I playoffs the last three seasons, had two of the three hitters that made the All-State second team. The duo should pace NK’s possible return to the mountain top.

North Kingstown Cody Tow was an All-Stater last season.

Thomas Matchett, Mount St. Charles/North Smithfield

Senior, middle blocker

The MSC/NS co-op, created at the start of the 2022 season, was swept by La Salle in the semifinals (25-17, 25-18, 25-22). But it was a young team with a trio of juniors leading the way. Matchett earned second-team nods from The Journal and state’s coaches as a strong middle blocker. MSC/NS moved up to D-I last season after winning the D-II title in its first year.

Mount St. Charles/North Smithfield's Thomas Matchett goes up for a kill during the 2022 season.

James Men, Classical

Senior, setter

The Purple setter landed on the coaches’ third team last year. Classical won eight games last season and was ousted from the D-I quarterfinals in straight sets by MSC/NS.

Logan Voelker goes up on the net to readying to stop the Purple's James Men during a match in 2022.

Charles Pincince, Cranston East

Junior, outside hitter

The Cranston East star was just one a few underclassmen to make the coaches’ All-State team last year. Could a breakout season be in the works for the Thunderbolts’ hitter?

Caden Sullivan, Mount St. Charles/North Smithfield

Senior, setter

One of three juniors from the co-op to make The Journal’s All-State team last year, Sullivan sets the table for Mount/NS. Sullivan was also the setter for the program when it first blended two years ago.

Caden Sullivan sets a ball during the first set of Mount St. Charles/North Smithfield's sweep over West Warwick during the 2022 season.

Ben Sousa, Mount St. Charles/North Smithfield

Senior, libero

Sousa rounds out the Mount St. Charles/North Smithfield trio that made our All-State team last season as the maestro in the back row. The senior saves points for the co-op, which will look to compete for the D-I title again this year.